Servant
by j.d.y
Summary: A pregnant brothel girl, an angry Mukuro, and a very reluctant father; what could happen? Life doesn't always give us a choice to fix our mistakes, but sometimes they transform them into something much greater than ourselves. HieixMukuro; HieixOC.
1. Prologue

This is just a prologue of sorts.

Words: 993

Release date: January 25, 2016

I do not own anything.

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A very long time ago when the world was younger, humans lived grouped together in villages. Often these villages made use of a village priest to foretell how things would go in the village for the next year; to tell of harvests and if the gods would smile favorably on them this year. Everyone respected the village priest; even though looking back their fortune telling was often misinterpreted or simply wrong. They couldn't see the future better than the next villager beside them.

But in one single village there was a girl born that could see the future.

Ever since she was young she would see visions of things that happened. She'd see times of calamity and times of peace. She knew when the village would be attacked and she could tell sometimes when someone would die.

By the time she had reached the age of seventeen winters; many other village elders flocked to her for wisdom. She was known far and wide across the land as a great prophet and many brought her gifts and even suitors began to show up on her doorstep in an attempt to win her hand in marriage. They believed having a seer for a wife would bring them great fortune.

One such suitor sparked her interest. No one knew him exactly but he brought bountiful gifts and beautiful clothes of silk. Rings of gold and spices of magnitude were freely given. He even provided for her family; oxen to help plow their fields and clothes for her younger sisters. The gentleman often would help her father out in the fields or send his own men over to help; he was kind and generous to those who needed it. And in the end it was his devotion to her family that won her hand.

But on the night of their wedding a local god who had grown jealous of the girl's fame stole her away. He'd grown angry that she'd turned him down when he'd tried to shower her with gifts to try and win his hand for his to make himself that much better of a god. For the local gods fought often over who had the best wives or the greatest accomplishments and he'd deemed that having a seer for a wife would have gained him much to be proud of.

He slain her newlywed husband and carried her off to the heavens to be his wife for all eternity. The god made her eternal so that she could serve him always; telling him stories of the future to entertain him as the years grew by.

* * *

There wasn't very much of Hiei in his son's face.

His hair was much like Hiei's; it defied gravity at every turn. The same black color with the same blue undertones at the tips and even the white star burst was exactly identical. If you seen the child from the behind it was very much obvious who had fathered him. No one could even attempt to question his parentage (and there was many that tried) once you seen his hair. Hiei at least admitted that to himself.

But the rest of him was a different story.

The first thing that people tended to notice was his face was softer; less angles, no scowl permanently etched on his face. The nose was the same as his father's, as was the lips. But unlike Hiei the face was a happy face. He often ran through the temple grinning from ear to ear; yelling for who ever he was looking for. No subtle entries or hiding, just a very loud entry and sometimes and door being slammed open. Much like his father he had no patience for anything, but that fact that when he wanted something he wanted it right then and there. There was no waiting patiently or asking, but a simple demand and a yell when the answer was a no. For only being three he was tall for his age; which astounded most people considering that his father had been shorter for most of his life until he'd hit enough of a grown spurt to slighter shorter than Yusuke. Where Hiei was quiet, his son was loud. Where the father was permanently serious and closed off; the son was rambunctious and loved everyone he met.

Hiei often found himself lost in his son's eyes, marveling at how such a happy child was half of him. That such a child that was so completely different was his; but it also made him happy to make sure his son had a much happier life than he had led. The fire demon made the choice that his son would want for nothing and never denied him much, except for when he was truly being a brat. His want to be a good father to the child was strong.

But the biggest difference that everyone noticed right away and most people couldn't even get past was that instead of having Hiei's glowing cherry red eyes that he had the most silver of eyes. They were big and open and so silver that most people when first introduced to him would be cut short by the color. When the child had first been born into this world his eyes had been the first thing anyone had noticed. They were easily the dominant feature in his face, but made him quite the beautiful child.

It had at first been quite a shock to see her eyes in his son's face, but as time went on the demon had decided that it made him happy. Happy to have some small part features of her permanently lodged into their son. Their son's features more favored Hiei, but all the demon could see was her all over his face. And most people agreed.

It was a comforting thought that maybe _she_ was still watching and seeing for all of them through those big silver eyes of their son's.

* * *

Well it's been so very long since I've written anything that I hope that this isn't too horrible! I'm so worried it will be! Please anyone tell me of any mistakes that I have made since this is very unedited! Big thanks to Graphospasm for well giving me a push and my friend for helping me pick out names!

Well please tell me how you all like it. I'm going to probably post another chapter soon, but after that I really will probably do weekly updates so I don't burn myself out with this fic. Have a great day!


	2. Arc I: The Brothel

Words: 4429

Release Date: 1/26/16

I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho

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"Loosen up Hiei!," Yusuke hollered over the noise of the room, "It's not often we get to be alone together,". The former human laughed loudly at the shorter demon's darkening scowl; taking a swig of the sake in his cup.

Hiei in question just let out a growl at the other demon, refusing another cup of sake. One had been enough for the small wasn't always the wisest of decisions to be drunk in Demon World. He just shook his head once again and crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair to survey the room. No demon even registered as a possible threat in this place so why were they even here?

Correction why did he even allow the foolish detective to talk him into joining him on this "missions". The former protector wasn't even a Spirit Detective any longer, but still on a semi regular basis handled jobs for Koenma. The once Prince of Spirit World was now the King of Spirit World, having locked his father away for crimes against demons and a few select members of Spirit World two years previously after the first Demon World tournament. Why Yusuke even still took on jobs for the toddler when he had the Spirit Defense Force was beyond most people, but Hiei knew that is was because the new ruler of Spirit World didn't really trust anyone with the missions he gave Yusuke and when the others were willing and able.

He wasn't even sure this classified as a mission though and how he'd been the one chosen to get brought along. Visiting the temple once or twice a month to see Yukina usually didn't end in him being dragged to Demon World with Yusuke on a top secret mission that somehow involved going to a brothel house deep in the pitts. Hiei wasn't sure whether to believe that this really was a mission until Koenma himself had shown up and briefed them. Yusuke had been tasked with meeting a woman here that had information that the once Prince wanted regarding old files. The fire demon wasn't sure why a demon would have information like that or why she'd even be working in a house such as this.

The brothel house wasn't a bad once as far as things went. It was quite a large building, despite it being so far into Demon World. The front lobby was decorated with wooden floors with beige walls and a front desk where a pretty demon woman with fire red hair and green eyes operated the whole place. Everyone who came through was expected to pay a base fee and then another fee based on how long they stayed in the main room with all the girls. And then when it a man or woman picked someone as long as they were available they would be taken to a private room to do their business and then pay based on whatever occurred in the room. If the person you wanted to fuck wasn't available you could either wait or simply pick someone else.

Yusuke was sitting in the middle of main room with a bunch of girls chatting with him. Some of them recognized him from the Demon World tournament and were hoping he would be a big spender. Other groups of men sat off the side flirting and talking with other brothel girls and every now and then a woman would lead a man off and return later; sometimes with the man if he wanted another woman after a while. They served food as well; simple things that different women brought out on trays. Every now and then different women would get up and dance; remembering to flash a little skin to get the men enticed enough to really spend their money. Hiei had chosen to sit in a corner where he could watch both Yusuke and the doors leading in and out. His eyes scanned the room looking for any signs of the woman. Koenma had said she'd be extremely discreet. She would approach one of them and hand off a note for Koenma that had the information he needed. They were to act like customers of the brothel to not arouse suspicion.

"Master, would like you more sake?," the girl in front of him was kneeling, a tray of sake and cups balanced on one palm. Hiei gave her a once over; she was beautiful like most of the girls here. Her long black hair was tied up in a bun with two long pins to keep it in place while a few strands hung loosely around her face. It was sloppy, he decided. Why go through all the work of doing up her hair and then allow a few strands to just escape like that? Or had her last customer been that rough and she hadn't cleaned herself up;which in his opinion was equally distasteful. While he didn't hate women in the profession of selling their bodies, Hiei didn't go to them. He knew that many of them never had the chance to be anything else or was sold into the profession much like his intended Mokuro had been.

Wincing, the fire demon hoped Yusuke kept his mouth shut about this mission; if Mokuro ever found out he was here there would be hell to pay. His future mate had quite the opinion when it came to sex slaves and brothel girls and she'd be upset to learn he'd visited a brothel house. And it seemed these days were filled with making her content.

"Hn." Was his reply as he watched her back away from him, her silver eyes flashing once. Their eyes met once and Hiei was taken back by the way her eyes flashed briefly before heading over to Yusuke again. Foolishly the detective took another cup and threw his arm around the girl. With a roll of his eyes, all Hiei could think was how angry the detectives woman would be before dismissing the thought. It wasn't his problem if Yusuke got in trouble.

This went on for a while until Yusuke finally got tired of being alone with the girls and got up and threw his arm around the smaller demon, laughing in his ear.

"Come on Hiei! We're here to have some fun! I mean you are to be mated soon; wouldn't you like to have one more romp in the sack before you officially sleep with the same woman for the rest of your very long life?!," the former detective waggled his eyebrows and winked, gesturing to all the girls at the table. Some of them waved and giggled, obviously amused at their antics.

"You're drunk," Hiei accused, smelling the alcohol on the other demons breathe. Usually Yusuke took jobs very well, not serious but he surely knew better than to get drunk while getting information didn't he? The woman who was supposed to tip them off to the information hadn't even shown herself yet.

"Just a little, nothin' I can't handle though!," the words were slurred and accentuated with a grin that was all Yusuke. He'd always been like this; do first and think later. Usually it worked but at the moment Hiei wanted nothing more than to punch the former human in the face for putting him though this annoyance.

"Yu-sama really likes his sake, are you sure we can't get you any at all, Sir?," one of the women had decided to come over. Her kimono was hanging off her shoulders, showing the tops of her breasts while her long green hair hung around her face. She looked drunk but Hiei had a feeling it was just an act to seem more innocent. She wanted the guy to think he was in control when it was really the other way around.

"He'll have some!," was Yusuke's reply before Hiei could spit out a no and before the fire demon knew it a cup full of sake was in his hand. A grinning former human had nearly succeeded in bringing the cup to the shorter demon's lips before he jerked his hand away, spilling the alcohol all over the floor.

"Whoopsies! Looks like we've had an accident!," the woman with the off the shoulder kimono giggled loudly. She quickly bent down and began cleaning up the mess, paying extra attention to show as her breasts nearly fell out the top of her kimono. She sent them both a seductive smirk and once done she

filled another cup of sake. "I'm going to go get another bottle, but please don't make any more messes while I'm gone Yu-sama!," and with a wink she was heading out the room. Both demons watched her go before Hiei turned to Yusuke,

"You fool!," growling the fire demon lowered his voice before saying, " We're supposed to be on a mission!"

"Then drink!," And then Yusuke's voice lowered a little, his eyes half glazed, "Everybody lookin' at you. It's' weird that you ain't drinkin'! We're in a whore house for fucks sake; what else do ya do in a whore house beside fuck and drink?". He grinned again and shot Hiei a look that meant he needed to act his part and then went back over to his table shouting, "That one's a party pooper!". He pointed his index finger at the fire demon and pretended to shoot him with his spirit gun to make all the girls laugh.

Hiei only shook his head once and eyed the cup of sake but deciding a cup of sake to look like he was here for more than a babysitter was reasonable and drowned the cup.

"You're friend and you are quite different," the girl with the sloppy black hair and startling silver eyes knelled down next to him carrying another bottle of sake and two cups. He decided that even if she had sloppy hair; her movements was quite graceful.

"Hn." He wasn't sure what had motivated her to join him. She'd seemed to be having plenty of fun laughing and talking with Yusuke. He watched as she poured two more cups of sake and slid one over to him. "I don't want it."

"You won't even have a drink with me?," she smiled at him. He noted that unlike some of the girls here that refused to show their teeth because of how disfigured they were; she flashed every one of her white teeth when she smiled. Her smile was light and easy and Hiei wondered once again why she'd chosen to come over here while he shook his head no at her. "Oh well, that's alright then. I'll just have a drink alone then,".

He rolled his eyes at her then, watching as she sipped on her cup slowly once before taking the full shot and swallowing. A loud laugh drew his eyes to his partner, watching as Yusuke had his arms around the big busted woman from before. She was facing him, her breasts purposely pushed against his side. The lady obviously wanted all of his attention; stealing it back whenever another girl tried to flirt with the former human.

"Ruka always goes for the famous ones. She seems to think that they'll get her somewhere," the girl beside him shook her head a few times. She eyed the couple for a few minutes, "Lord Yusuke already has a woman. He won't take Ruka from us," she sighed once and then added with a grin, "sadly. I could do without all her prep time in the mornings."

"What do you mean by take her away?," Hiei figured the most he could do since he was stuck here was at least ask a few questions. Plus maybe he could understand a little better, Mokuro had once been like these girls in a way and sometimes she still got in these moods where she was either extremely violent or sad. Some days she'd do nothing but think on her time as a sex slave. At least maybe if he understood their lifestyle, he could better understand to help her.

"Oh, he could fall in love with her and buy out her brothel contract. Get her away from here," she smiled again, but it was a sad smile. It was then that the fire demon realized that this girl hadn't chose to be here. She was probably sold or had an outstanding debt and been placed here to work off her payments. "It doesn't happen often, but that's what Ruka thinks. If she's good enough in bed some man will want to take her home with him," the black haired beauty shook her head again, "That or get her pregnant."

"Don't they just abort the child then?". Delicate hands poured another cup of sake, pushing it towards him again.

"I'll tell you if you drink with me," she grinned at him, blowing a piece of hair out of her face. Hiei studied her features. Big open silver eyes that dominated her face; while blue decorated her eye lids to shwocase her eyes off. The fire demon decided though that even without the makeup drawing attention to her eyes that they would still be the center of someone's attention when they took notice of her face. Her lips were small and painted pink with a small nose to match. While her face was pretty heart shaped there was a maturity there. She was young but obviously mature for her age; he figured selling your body to different men every night did that. Her frame was nearly as tall as his and he realized that she was probably only half an inch or so shorter than him. A light green kimono showed off a slender body; some cleavage was being shown, but no where near the extent of the Ruka woman. Her breasts to him looked about average. All in all Hiei had to admit that she was a very beautiful woman.

"No," his answer was firm as he flared at the sake bottle and then at her. Truthfully he was getting angry that everyone kept pushing alcohol on him.

"Please? It's not fair to make a lady drink alone," her pink lips turned down into a pout, while her eyes were turned on him in a pleading way.

"You're no lady," he growled, "just a whore". The girl's face fell quickly, a sad look coming across her features and Hiei wondered if he shouldn't have said that. While it may be true he'd learned over the years that acting out of cruelty wasn't always the best of ways to handle things. Briefly he wondered when that had happened and realized it had to have been some time after Yusuke had beaten him years ago.

"You're right ya know," she leaned her chin on her hand. Her delicate fingers rested on her cheek as she continued talking, "I'm just a whore, I have sex with so many different men that I don't even know most of their names or their faces. That's who I am," her free hand played with the sake cup, churning the liquid in the cup, "but that doesn't mean you get to insult me with it. You're a killer Lord Hiei, but I haven't insulted you once this whole conversation or mentioned that you're getting mated soon and you're in a brothel house," her silver eyes flashed angrily and sadly at the same time, staring him down, "so please do not insult me. It's only the gentlemanly thing to do".

"I'm not a gentleman," was the only reply he could come up with that wasn't either another insulting remark or apologizing. Even though Hiei knew he wasn't always the best of people, he still had some kind of moral code.

"And I'm not a lady so," she grinned again at him, her face open and light again. The fire demon wondered briefly how her face could change emotions so quickly until he looked into her eyes and saw that there was still hints of sadness there before hearing her begin to speak again, "so let's drink together. And if you do I'll answer your question from before". She winked at him.

"Fine," the demon growled out before taking the cup she'd pushed towards him earlier and swallowing it down in one go. As soon as he'd set the cup down she was already re pouring him another. He wondered why he was doing this but then he figured it was better than having to mutter a half ass apology. The thought of Mokuro having this conversation with a man crossed his mind once before guilt set in. He may not have been doing anything wrong but he knew she'd be very upset if she found he'd come to a brothel house, regardless of reasons.

"The father of the child is always consulted before an abortion is done if he can be found," the girl sipped from her cup of sake while smiling at him.

"And if they can't find him?". How many children had been aborted because they couldn't find the fathers?

"Then the mother has a few options; either abort her child," she sighed sadly, "wait and see if the child is a girl; if so the baby can take their mother's place in the brothel and the mother will get to leave here as a free woman after the child is a few years old. Or if she still has family that she has contact with they can agree to raise the child after it is born," the girl shrugged and finished her cup before pouring herself another and drinking it all down.

Hiei finished his own cup of sake as well. He had nothing really to say; he wasn't surprised by these things. It was the way of Demon World, where the strong survived and the weak did what they had to. And if these women had to give up their own children for the sake of freedom, that was their choice. He'd made some horrible choices in life and killed a lot of people over the years. The fire demon knew he had no choice to judge these women for the choices they made.

"Why must the father's be contacted?," he asked after a few minutes watching at the woman across from him poured both of them another cup of sake. She stayed quiet for a few minutes, looking at something on the wall behind him.

"Because in all technically the brothel doesn't own these children. Some have been born and since none of the options I mentioned before were done they were thrown out since they were male children and therefore unwanted," her face turned sour, "the father if he so chooses can claim the child for a small fee or even buy up the brothel girl's contract if she's pregnant and take her away from here," her cheeks were beginning to be colored pink from either the alcohol or the conversation he wasn't sure.

The fire demon took another sip from his drink, choosing to look over at Yusuke only to find him gone.

"He went into a private room with Ruka a little while ago," the silver eyed girl cut in. She smiled softly at him. "Do you want me to take you to him?" The girl finished the rest of her sake and stood up. Hiei watched her, before nodding and finishing the rest of his drink as well.

Standing up, the fire demon instantly wobbled a little. He hadn't realized how much he had drank. Stabilizing on his feet was easier than he thought it would be and after a few seconds he nodded and gestured for the brothel girl to lead him to Yusuke. They were supposed to be on a mission.

"Follow me," she said and turned on her heel towards one of the doors leading to a private room. Hiei noticed that she was wobbling as well. The fire demon walked after her, wondering why she was beginning to become more and more of a blur. He hadn't drank all that much, had he?

"They should be in here. I hope we're not too late," she muttered. Hiei thought she looked upset, maybe even worried as she stopped at a door and knocked. The girl didn't wait very long until she turned the handle and pushed the door open.

Keiko was going to kill Yusuke if she ever found out, Hiei thought as he stood in the doorway.

Yusuke laid on his back, he left hand dug into Ruka's hip hard enough that there was already a bruise on her other side. Their clothes were scattered throughout the room and neither of them had anything on. The former human's eyes were closed and his head thrown back in pleasure. The woman's long green hair hung down her back as she rode the detective. His free hand groped one of her breasts, playing with the nipple. He didn't even seem to notice the intrusion.

Hiei thought he heard a moan of Kieko's name.

"Leave little Sayomi. Take your play thing and go; this rooms full," Ruka had turned her head. She spat the sentence in a whisper, shooting the two a glare. She shooed them away quickly, before kissing Yusuke fully on the mouth. Hiei stood there so stunned that he barely noticed Sayomi shut the door quickly and push him towards the room on the other side of the hall.

Luckily this one was open.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Sayomi muttered as she shut the door behind her. Hiei noticed that she seemed to be shaking a little, before she sat down on the mats and gestured for him to join her. "I'm a little drunk and can't stand anymore," she explained once before pulling a sake bottle from somewhere in her kimono and drinking straight from it.

"So you drink more?," the fire demon sat down as well, using the wall to steady himself. He took the bottle from her when she offered it, realizing that after tonight there was gonna be a lot for secrets between him and Yusuke. He briefly wondered if this was the first time Yusuke had cheated on his woman or had this happened before? After a minute he realized that it really wasn't any of his business.

"Hiei, do you believe in punishing those who willingly help someone cheat on their partner?," Sayomi asked once they had finished the bottle together.

"Hn".

He didn't have an answer to that. Was the Ruka woman at fault too? Yusuke had willingly flirted with her all night and had willingly followed her out to the private room. And was willingly going to pay her. This was a whore house. These women got paid to have sex with men. This was their job. They were no more at fault then the women who got cheated on he decided. But they also knew that they were helping some man cheat. Did they mean they shouldn't try and entice the ones they knew that had someone like Ruka did to Yusuke? Everyone in Demon World knew the Raizen's heir had a woman in Human World. There was no clear option here. And on top of it he'd had way too much sake this evening and the effects were beginning to hit him hard. Whatever sake they gave out was strong.

There was a rustling of clothes and Hiei looked up to see that the brothel girl had begun to undo the sash holding her kimono together. It fell away to reveal her standing there completely naked. Next she pulled the pins from her black hair, allowing it to fall down to her mid back in long waves.

Sayomi was confident as she stood there, staring him down like she knew everything that was coming in the world. Silver eyes flashed once and she nodded, seeming to make a decision before pacing over to him and taking the bottle from his fingers and straddling his lap. Her hands went up around his shoulders making him look at her. He saw desire for him in her eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing?," he slurred, realizing that his body was already reacting to the beautiful woman in his lap. His hands had already grabbed her hips, steadying her on his lap. The animalistic side of him that lived within all depends woke up a little. A beautiful woman was ready for him to dominate. Unlike with Mokuro who tried to dominate him and they fought for control,this one was weak and willing. Willing to allow him full control of her body.

"You can to this place to see a whore, didn't you?," she smiled without mirth, showing off her perfectly white teeth that he'd admired earlier. Her right silver eye winked at him as she grinded her naked lower body against him. Those little pink lips of her's was kissing a trail up and down his neck.

Hiei wondered if this was a dream; he didn't intend to come with Yusuke. Maybe he was still asleep at the temple and his mind had conjured up a beautiful woman for him to dream about since he couldn't have Mokuro right then and there. But then shouldn't he be dreaming about Mokuro? She was his intended mate. They just hadn't finished sealing the deal yet. Why was he doing this? If this wasn't a dream he could ruin everything with Mokuro when she found out. You don't cheat on your mate. Wasn't that what he wanted? A home with Mokuro. He hadn't been so at peace with his life in well his entire life.

She loved him. Even though he was a killer and accepted him for the awful things he had done. She was the same as he. They both understood each other; the hardships, the killing, and hatred. Both of them were two pees in a pod. She brought a place to call home into his life; a grounded spot for him to always return to. Could he really betray her like this?

Hiei stopped thinking when Sayomi kissed him, her hand finding it's way underneath his shirt to touch his skin before shortly heading south. It didn't take long before his hands had began kneeding her breasts and wasn't long after that, that the fire demon was completely naked as well.

One single thought went through Hiei's head as he took her; Yusuke had better keep his damn mouth shut or else he'd never talk again.

* * *

I think I'd kill Yusuke too. They're both in trouble now! lol, well that was a quick update... I figured I couldn't leave you guys with just a prologue. Also I do not think most chapters if any will be nearly as graphically sexual as this one. I don't like to write smut anymore; this was hard truthfully. Until next time!

-j.d.y.


	3. Arc I: Freely

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho sadly :(

Word Count: 4705

Release Date: February 1st, 2016

* * *

Hiei liked to pretend that night with Yusuke hadn't happened.

They hadn't gone to a brothel house, gotten drunk and somehow had both fucked women there.

It hadn't happened and as far as they were both concerned it would never be talked about again. Neither of them had really said anything in the morning after. Both men had woken up in the same room as Hiei had been in, their clothes in neatly folded piles nearby. Yusuke hadn't remembered walking to the shorter demon's room, but didn't complain either way. No women were to be seen as they made their way to the front desk, eyes groggy and hangovers preventing them from speaking. Their fees for the night were substantial, between being in the main lounge for so long and then that they'd both stayed in private rooms all evening. Yusuke had simply muttered to put it on his tab, which Hiei knew really meant Koenma was paying for this. He'd nearly made a smart comment about how often did the demon lord come here, but realized that after his own short comings he had no reason to taunt the other man and simply kept his mouth shut. They still had to travel back to Human World together.

"Never again Yusuke," the fire demon had demanded when they reached the portal to take them to Genkai's. He didn't want to be a part of any mission going back there. His mind had weighed heavily the whole way back whether he should tell his intended. He hadn't gone to the place to have sex with one of those, in his opinion, disgusting women; it had been a simple recon mission with Yusuke. Whatever sake they had given him, had gotten his blood churning. Put all his instincts to the forefront of his mind and he'd taken the woman whore that had freely given herself to him.

"Yeah, I getcha man," Yusuke looked worse than Hiei had seem in a very long time. His eyes were downcast and the circles under them spoke volumes of his mood. His customary sleeked back hair was wild and disheveled. For once there was no grin or jokes rolling out of the normally goofy man's mouth. Hiei almost missed it. "Ya know, that's not how things usually-," he was rubbing the back of his head, brown eyes begging him not to judge him for the way the night had gone.

"What you do behind your woman's back is your own business, detective," trying to hide his own treacherous thoughts, the fire demon made his own biting mark and dashed through the portal. His first intent was to head for the showers there and wash off the smell of the woman; her scent clung to him. The smell of sex flared in his nose and he had every intention of scrubbing himself clean, maybe even replace his clothes. Wash away every evidence of his betrayal before heading home to Demon World where he belonged.

He should have never agreed to go with Yusuke.

* * *

The fire demon cleaned himself up quickly, careful to avoid the other inhabitants of the temple. Yukina looked a little hurt when he refused a cup of tea and a meal; choosing to say he had no time to stay. Genkai had just scoffed and rolled her eyes before taking her tea into one of her many gardens. Yusuke didn't approach him again before he left, just gave him a grin that lacked it's usual warmth and a small wave before heading inside to call Koenma to report what they'd learned.

Mokuro wasn't around when he returned; she'd apparently went to some financial meeting with King Enki. She was due back that evening and the fire demon used the time for training. The other demons of the fortress stayed clear and only a few were willing to fight him in a mock battle; something in his cherry eyes told them that they could still be killed if they weren't careful. The day passed quickly and he'd nearly sustained an injury when his mind had reminded him of silver eyes flashing at him.

He'd cut training quickly after that, choosing to sit in his quarters by one of the windows. He propped one knee up, leaning on it to stare at the only thing he had left of his mother. It usually brought him a sense of calm, but it did nothing for him now. Just thoughts of how like his mother he'd gone against what he was supposed to do.

Sometimes after he learned how Ice Maidens reproduced and how to bear a child that came from a man instead of their own soul killed them, he wondered why exactly his mother choose that life. She knew to do it would end her very life and she'd still chosen to give birth to him. The ice maiden had gone against every belief in her culture, every thing she had ever been taught, and basically every one she had ever had in her life. And in the end she'd still shed a tear for him; still loved him. Was he more like his mother than he believed?

To do something that went against everything you believed in?

Hiei didn't believe in cheating on your mate (even if they weren't exactly mates yet); he'd made his choice with Mokuro. Why had he thrown caution to the wind for a whore who flirted with him? Sure she was really honest and was much more beautiful that Mokuro, but what did beauty mean to one such as him? Beauty was skin deep. Mokuro was beautiful in ways that mattered; she'd suffered much. Her heart was dark like his; she saw the darkness of the world and instead of most people she didn't turn away from it, but choose to see it for what it really was: the way life was. Life wasn't pretty, it wasn't a fairy tale that ended with everyone finding their true love; it usually ended for the weak in horrible pitiful ways. People didn't usually die happy. Most people had regrets. The only way to carve out even a small peaceful hole for yourself was be strong enough to survive and protect what you wanted and possessed.

They were alike souls. It was to be a content life together. And this could end it all. Why had he been so stupid?

* * *

Sayomi's mornings were the same. Wake up. Clean her body from the night before. Always wipe all traces of the men from herself. Early enough to clean up any messes from the night before, but enough that no one had bags under their eyes. Whores they may be; but ugly they were not. All of them slept in one big communal room unless a man was willing to pay for a woman to sleep with them for the night then that woman got to have a futon to themselves. Everyone had access to a hot water basin and it was the few pleasures they had. Most women made sure to spend as much time as possible to soak their body; men were rough and most were sore if they'd been busy the night before. Sayomi always made sure no smell clung of the men she'd been with clung to her skin, washing her hair religiously.

After they cleaned themselves; it was to breakfast. All women were kept on strict diets as not to get fat. There was always a perfect weight to maintain based off their height and body type. If the mistress believed you had gained anything the woman in question would be placed on a scale in front of the other women and be questioned about her eating habits. Sometimes it would be explainable; like the woman's monthly courses had begun or sometimes it was the beginning of realizing a woman was pregnant, but if that wasn't the reason, their food regiments would be cut back and sometimes if it was a repeat performance then they'd be beaten. Only once had Sayomi been placed on the scale and after seeing another woman be beaten for being on the scale too many times in a few short weeks, she always made sure to watch exactly how much she ate. Almost every night she'd make sure to do squats or do as much walking as possible as she could being locked in the brothel as she was.

Some women would be quiet while they ate and stuck to themselves while others were bright and chatted with the other women over breakfast. For the most part everyone got along; in most cases they would be stuck together for a very long time. They didn't get a choice in who came and go, but you did get a choice in how you dealt with things. Once in a while a new girl would be brought to breakfast, her face puffy and her eyes bloodshot. She'd sit alone scared and crying or silent as a mouse. Sometimes they wouldn't even eat, but just stare at the other women. Most of the girls who cried were sold, either by their families or by sometimes by an angry husband. The ones who were silent usually knew this had been their fate; they'd gone into this work to pay off their debts and would hopefully one day be free if they sold their bodies well enough.

This morning a young girl was shoved into the hall at breakfast time; her eyes swollen and the front of her kimono torn open. She'd already been inspected for lice, Sayomi figured. The girl fell onto her stomach and stayed there, sobbing into the floor. Ruka (Sayomi shook her head when she seen the green haired woman get up) went over and squatted before the girl. At first it would seem like demoness would be kind - with the way she placed her hand under the girl's chin and smiled sweetly, but then her smile turned into a sneer and her hand jerked the girl the upright, claws pin-pricking the skin so blood dripped from along her cheek and jaw line.

"You're nothing special," her voice may have been pretty but it was cruel and sharp, "maybe even ugly. Stay out of my way little one," Ruka dropped the girl then, returning to her seat amongst a few of the other women. The girl only sobbed harder as she hit the floor in shock. A few other women looked on at her in pity, but most women didn't want to get involved with someone Ruka had personally attacked in such a way.

Sighing, Sayomi decided to be kind. Often the silver eyed beauty sat with a few of the shyer women; they talked, but like her they stayed far away from Ruka and her schemes to be a rich demon's mistress. _They had room for one extra_ , she thought as she quickly got up and strode towards the new girl. Throwing a quick glare towards the green haired woman, she helped up the young girl and guided her back to her table. Upon closer inspection, Sayomi realized the girl was really a girl; she couldn't be any older that thirteen or fourteen, maybe even younger. Her eyes were hazel and bloodshot and her face hadn't lost the roundness of childhood yet. Golden short hair adorned her head; it wasn't even long enough to pull back into a pony tail. Looking at her plate regretfully – she hadn't really touched any of it – she slid it towards the crying girl.

"Eat up," she felt eyes on her from some of the women at her table. Their fear of retaliation from Ruka was strong; just the other week she'd taken a knife and cut some girls hair jaggedly in her sleep for attracting the attention of one of Ruka's usual's. And there would be retaliation for this; the woman was glaring daggers in Sayomi's direction. She'd wanted the new girl to feel alone and scared, not drawn into the silver eyed woman's protection. Sighing, she decided she would have to keep an eye on Ruka for a while.

"B-but I-i-i-," she was wiping the tears quickly from her face, but no matter how quick she was more came to replace them. They fell down her childlike cheeks and down onto her lap in big droplets. Sayomi wondered if her reaction would have been the same? What was it like to be taken from everything you ever knew and dumped into a place like this? The girl had probably been in a happy safe family until some calamity happened; they needed money for the rest of their children to eat. Or had the father owed a debt he couldn't pay to one of the demon lords? Or was it their safety for their daughter?

Sayomi knew where she had come from before she was put in that place, but it was no true loss to her. She had no real ties there either; she'd been alone to herself for centuries. The silver eyed woman had few friends, but no one who truly missed her when she'd been placed in the brothel. And she didn't remember her time before that. No memories of a family that loved her or anything and how could you miss what you don't remember? Her fate as it was now was a better fate than others had. Food was given to her every day. A roof over her head. She'd been in the brothel for nearly two years; least she wasn't in prison or dead.

"Just eat it, you need to keep your strength up," she smiled at the girl, pushing her tray closer to the other girl. Sayomi watched the girl pick at her food, not really touching anything, but seeming to at least try at some of it. It wasn't the greatest, but it didn't taste awful. Sometimes when the mistress of the brothel had made good money she'd treat them to something extra.

Nothing else was said after breakfast between Sayomi and the new girl and neither girl spoke to any of the others at their table. The silver eyed woman decided she had nothing really say that morning; instead to chose to look off into space and see how the day panned out in her mind.

That was one trick Sayomi had over the others.

She might not see anything of her past, but she could see the future. While if she didn't look she wouldn't always see, unless she was attuned to the person. Her last master, she'd been so attuned to that she had always known when he was in danger or could predict anything that happened in his general area. Her sight wasn't a for sure thing, some time things would shift or if she her self could change something that was going to happen. She'd seen the new girl come, but because she hadn't decided to look any further she hadn't seen Ruka's rough treatment of the girl. In days past she would have looked further, extended her range of sight to all possibilities. It was her job after all to see any threat, any thing that might have hindered her master's day, but these days she choose to simply move on. Simply avoid what could be seen and for the visions that did come choose to look no further.

In a place like this seeing what was to come was no greater help to her cause.

Men never stopped coming regardless.

The day she'd woken up and seen Hiei coming was different.

She'd awoken to the new girl stashed close to her side as she'd been for five or six nights. After Sayomi had shared her food with her, the child like girl stuck close to her side, even choosing to cuddle up close to her at night. The silver eyed woman didn't really mind, in part because she felt guilty for not looking further into her coming, but because the child often talked to her while she got ready, during breakfast, and sometimes into the night when the other girls had dropped off to sleep. It was an easy companionship and since the girl hadn't been renamed like they all were (all the women had been renamed after being at the brothel for a while; they only went by their working name), Sayomi called her by her real name,Yasuko.

That day she'd woken up, her eye flashed silver and all she could see was him sitting at a table across from her. His back was against the wall, while his arms crossed over his chest. Every few seconds his eyes would dart across the room towards where his companion sat, before checking the doorways and then back to her. She didn't focus on their conversation, but the way his face looked to her. It looked perplexed, like she was confusing him. His keen cherry eyes met her's and she felt like she could see right through his to his very soul.

It didn't occur her until she saw him that night in the main hall that her normal control over her seer abilities to not look into the future would waiver.

Once her silver eyes fell on him, she was done for. All day she'd been getting a headache from holding back visions that desperately wanted to come, but as soon as her eyes locked on his body they hit her hard. So hard she was glad that she hadn't fully entered the hall yet. For a while she stayed off to the side and watched him while watching the others. Women tried to approach him, but he wanted no parts of them and seemed aggravated. Cherry eyes stayed watch over Yusuke and the door ways as before in her first vision from the morning.

Her visions showed her nothing straight forward, just different scenes of her going up to him. Once where he told her none to politely to fuck off, while another he allowed her to stay. Another vision showed her showing Yusuke a good time that night, while another of her taking Hiei in one of the back rooms. Her mind raced and soon she had to start playing the tables as the others called it in an attempt to not be scolded for not venturing out. Different men approached her, but she always stayed between Yusuke and Hiei, until one man made his intentions quite clear and her visions showed that he had no intentions of leaving her alone that night. And while it was still early and she still had plenty of time to figure what she wanted to do about her visions, she took that man into the back room and gave him exactly what he wanted: her.

The rest of the night had been finding ways to talk to the man that haunted her visions. She'd almost readjusted her hair, but saw that he responded more to her in a vision with sloppy hair and left it the way it was. It was strange to her that so early in his presence that she was so attuned to him; it had taken years for her to see everything her Master had wanted her to see about him. And yet Hiei was easy to see. As easy as breathing almost.

When it had come to finding Yusuke, the woman begged that she wasn't too late. She knew when the young demon lord came that usually she could intercept him, usually get the note to him without him even noticing that it was her. But tonight she'd been too preoccupied with the cherry eyed demon to make him realize he held the information he needed so he could leave, a very sloppy mistake she told herself. It seemed that night Ruka had got her claws into him and when she'd opened the door, she knew that it was over. Her visions had begun flashing and telling her two different things and apparently the one she tried to avoid happened.

Ruka had spoken to her cruelly and banished her from the room. Sayomi was happy to know that no visions of a pregnant Ruka were in her mind as she slide the door shut and pushed the fire demon towards another room.

Normally she didn't drink much, but she'd been hitting the sake hard that night in an attempt to stop the visions from hitting her so hard. And when she finally settled on the floor, her drunkedness had hit her full force and her vision had grown hazy. One look straight into Hiei's cherry eyes had made her see a vision of of her slick with sweat, their bodies mingling together like lovers do.

It had been easy to undress herself, allow the kimono to slide to the floor at her feet. Stepping out of it, she almost shivered. The night air was a little chilly. Most men would have had her on her back and she never really became fully unclothed, but tonight was different. Cherry red eyes took her in as she walked over to him. The visions kept coming and she almost stopped each time. What she was doing was wrong; he had an intended at home waiting for him. But one last vision of him wrapped around her body, her moans disturbing the quiet of the room, his own growls against the skin of her neck solidified her choice as she climbed into his lap.

She made a decision that she hadn't made in a very long time.

Sayomi freely gave herself without force or order.

* * *

"Hiei is everything alright?," Mokuro slide beside him in bed, her hair falling into her face. The fire demon couldn't see her good eye, but only the mechanical one. It sometimes unnerved him to be seen through that eye; almost as if it really wasn't his intended. The eye was a cruel as she was and a stark contrast to her beautiful brown blue eye that showed how kind she could be to those that earned her respect and love. "You've been... difficult lately," her concern shown through her voice and one hand reached out to touch the side of his face.

Hiei chose to say nothing but think over what to say. Should he admit he'd betrayed her trust or continue on with a lie? Was this just a trial he'd be forced to overcome like the rest of his life had been? If he admitted to her what exactly he had done would she leave him? Would she agree to work it out? Would she be disgusted with him as he was disgusted with himself? While Hiei admitted he wasn't a man of much moral stanging, he'd always believed in keeping his word and his alliances. Hiei thought of his alliance to Mokuro in a more intimate way but at the core that's what it was. His devotion to her, his feelings for her, and his own want for her kept him bound closely to her. They were tied together in so many ways now and this was how he'd wanted to spend the rest of his life.

Could he stand to lose her? No. Was there a chance that she'd leave or worse? Yes. Was this what he wanted his life to be? Yes. Would he ever make a mistake again? No.

The fire demon quickly made a decision;

"Just been thinking of cutting ties with Yusuke," he sighed and reached his hand out to her. It was strange but when they were in bed together, he always liked to be touching her in some way. No one else had ever been allowed the same privileges.

"You say that, but we both know you are as loyal to him as you are to me," sometimes she grew jealous of his devotion to the other demon, but she realized that he was the first person to really show any kind of loyalty or trust and for that she was grateful. Hiei wouldn't have been the man he was without Yusuke and the others.

"This last mission changed things," the lie had to be perfect. No trace of deceit could be thick in his voice, "he's really planning on keeping up his pretense of having a human life with that woman, while here in the Demon world he has a demoness waiting. It's distasteful". While Hiei knew this could very well end his relationship with Yusuke, he also knew it would never get back to the human woman that held his heart. He comforted himself that Yusuke's woman wouldn't hear of the lie and believe it true, even though Hiei wasn't sure exactly how much of a lie he'd told and how much was the truth.

The Toushin had looked pretty upset that the night had transpired as it had so maybe it was the first time he'd actually went there and something like that had transpired. Theses things happened all the time; Yomi had many lovers. A main wife and then whores in separate places of the house wasn't uncommon. It wouldn't be too hard for his intended to believe that Yusuke had both a human and a demon lover.

"Is he?," Mokuro's voice dropped an octave. She seemed shocked that the demon in question would do such a thing, but she also believed that he wouldn't lie to her. The half of her face that was unmarred with scars turned down into a frown, while her mechanical eye locked on Hiei's face.

"I met her," struggling to remember details the fire demon conjured up the drunken memory of her, "she's the exact opposite of the human. Long green hair and claws. A seductress," he scoffed once unable to remember an eye color, "they have the same shade of eye color, so maybe that's what drew the detective to her". The lies just kept coming.

"I guess he differs from his father in more ways than one," the demoness shook her head, before smiling once, "whatever you choose to do in regards to Yusuke is your choice, but I am here now and I require your complete attention".

It was behind him now and as far as Hiei decided there was no more need to talk about it.

* * *

Sayomi noticed immediately when she picked up a few extra pounds; at first she tried to cut back on her portions and give more of her food to Yasuko. The girl got her own portions, but since she had just started being trained on how to seduce men she got less than the other women did. But it didn't seem to work. Her body didn't one day blow up but she could feel her body changing. Her face which had always been clear before, required make up to hide a blemish here and there. She slept poorly on her stomach and after a night of rough sex that before hadn't hurt her it hurt now. When she'd tried to heal some of her bruises and another girl's as well, she felt very tired. Her energy seemed to be draining from her quickly. Getting through the nights were harder and harder on her in the weeks after the night with Hiei and her visions a constant headache. She fought to keep them back to avoid anything close to what had transpired between herself and the fire demon . One mistake was enough.

It wasn't until she woke up and had to run to avoid puking her guts out that she understood exactly what had happened.

At the same time she allowed one of the visions she'd been fighting back for weeks to finally hit her strong.

A little baby child with large silver eyes and blue black hair nestled deep against her breasts. Hiei standing off to the side before coming over to rest his hand on the child's head. A smirk that was almost a smile adjourned his face and he admired the child that had been born from their one night together.

This time when Sayomi threw up again it wasn't because of the growing child safely in her womb, but a deep fear that grew along side of her unborn child.

* * *

Well here's chapter two! I've had this done a few days, but wanted to edit it... I did that like three times honestly. I want to thank the two people who reviewed for doing so! I saw some people had read/followed, but no reviews! I wish there was more but I'm happy that two people liked it! Libby, thank you for your kind words and I hope to live up to your expectations. And the other guest thank you too!


	4. Arc I: The Parchment

Word Count: 3397

Submit date: 2-12-2016

I own nothing sadly

* * *

Things in Mokuro's traveling fortress seemed to fall into an easy pattern again. They traveled along the border of Alaric, patrolling what was still there's. Demon World may have been ruled by King Enki, but the lands of Demon World were still split into three territories: Alaric, Gandara, and Tourin. Each Demon Lord still ruled over their original terrotory; except Yusuke had taken his father's place instead (even though the monks ran the day to day things). They all reported to Enki who had the final say in all decisions including settling any land disputes, setting prices for things, and rules regarding humans. It was an easy arrangement and even if all three lords didn't always agree with the Demon King's verdicts, things had still settled into a peaceful calm. Border fights had become a minimum. Trade flowed freely between the three lands and each one took turns offering up human keeping services. All three lands had to swap shifts of a month each on whose turn it was to take care of getting the human's back to Human World safely. There was talk of making it a year, but that was put off to see if Enki would win the second tournament for Demon World; if so they'd all have a turn and it would be easier to decide and switch off.

Life in Demon World had settled to almost the point of being peaceful if anyone could call it that.

Hiei tried not to think of his lies and instead move on with his life. There was no point to dwell on one stupid mistake; it was over and done with. Nothing would come of it he decided. It wasn't like the fire demon would ever see her again. His future intended and him were on good terms and as the weeks passed, the guilt moved to a further place in his mind; never quite gone. But then again the silver eyes flashing still seemed firmly planted in his mind.

Mokuro had chosen to not speak of the Yusuke matter again and focus on more important matters instead. She ran Alaric with an iron fist; choosing to withhold the new laws with a tenacity that surprised many. No one had pegged her the type to follow Enki with such obedience, but she did. Many wondered if she had another objection, but Hiei knew it was just because the woman enjoyed the peace. She didn't want to admit it, but as much as she enjoyed fighting, this peace brought peace to her very soul. It made her a happier person; she still spared with him and the others, but her life was now about making the life of those under her who deserved it a better life. She had a soft spot for other sex slaves; which now with a stable government around her, she'd chosen to outlaw the profession in her territory along with other akin acts. The demon lord still believed in power being the law of the land, but when it came to children and women who couldn't help themselves, she cracked down on anyone who dared try to defy her laws with an iron fist.

"Should I invite that fox friend of your's and the human male...," the demoness paused, her brow frowned in thought, "Kuwabara, I believe?". They were discussing their upcoming mating and while the ceremony itself would be a private affair between the two of them, they'd agreed to have a feast in honor of it. It wasn't unheard of for an intended mating to have a get together of sorts, but a party of this magnitude was unheard of.

It almost reminded Hiei how humans wedded, but chose to keep his opinion to himself.

"Fox boy will be here regardless if we invite him or not," a smirk fell across the cherry eyed demon's face; he toyed with the idea of trying to keep Kurama out, but realizing that someone might actually die then. "And as for the oaf, I have a feeling Kurama will bring him regardless if we want him there or not and anyone else he deems appropriate to be there," with an eye roll he sighed. The red head had a habit of doing things the way he deemed fit, regardless of what anyone else thought. There was no rhyme or reason sometimes to the way his brain worked and to him bringing the whole gang to Demon World would be quite the ball.

They were sitting in their shared private quarters at a small table. Mokuro was idly toying with a pen, a parchment of paper lay unused in front of her. They had gotten together to discuss who should attend; obviously since they were making this a public affair they had to invite the other Lord's of Demon World; but specific people were needed. She talked while Hiei grunted yes or no's at her, his right leg crossed over the other. Sharpening his sword held most of his attention as he took careful strokes with the blade sharpener as not to damage the sword.

"Ah, you're human friends," Mokuro leaned her head on her mechanical hand. She was dressed simply in plain yellow fighting pants and a white tank top. Her acid burns could be seen disappearing into her shirt and on one of the rare occasions, Hiei stared at them. Sometimes he felt grateful that the bandits that took him in had never decided to use him the way Mokuro had been used.

"Unfortunately, the fox believes I have ties and an idiotic idea that I value their presence," he took a particularly hard stroke of the blade sharper down his sword and cursed when he realized he'd nicked the blade. Unfolding his right leg from over his left, he stood up and took a practice swing right through the table. Pulling it out he was satisfied that at least the sword still operated properly, before sighing and going back to sharpening.

"Must you ruin all of my tables?," sighing the demoness shook her head, a small smile lighting up her face. Her good eyebrow was upraised and nearly hidden in her hairline; the tone of her voice in a scolding manner. By now she had grown used to the smaller demon's antics when it came to his sword. He was very attached to the very sharp hunk of metal.

"I thought you enjoyed it," a wicked gleam came into his cherry eyes, as his voice lowered and a smirk took up his face, "I know I do". His head tilted to the side, big eyes staring her down.

"Sometimes," Mokuro ran her good hand through her hair once, smirking at him before continuing, "but other times it's just not necessary". She eyed the table; it was fairly new and now had an even newer slice down the center. "I did just replace the one...," her fingers traced the long cut he'd made into the wood, "not even a week old actually after you...". Her voice trailed off, remembering him taking her right there on the last table over a week before. That one had only survived a month; the previous one being set on fire in one of Hiei's rage fits over something that neither of them could remember now.

"I'll buy you a new one as a mating present," he smirked, before leaning forward and kissing her. Her hands quickly tangled in his gravity defying hair before pulling him down close to her. This was how their relationship worked; they bonded over the darkness in either souls and let it out it usually violent and rough sex. One fought for dominance over the other. Mokuro shoved the fire demon onto the table, riping his shirt in the process.

Both felt the table crack under the weight and her force fullness.

"Was that necessary?," the fire demon asked after they were finished. The table lay underneath them, broken into pieces. It originally had split down the middle but between their harsh sex and all the changing of their positions; it was completely ruined. It wasn't just the table, but their clothes were in ruins and only a small part of Hiei's shirt had remained attached to him; Mokuro had ripped it in her need for him.

She simply said nothing, smirking at him before turning away from him and heading to the dresser. There was was never any touching or holding after sex, but then again that wasn't who they were. They were killers and while both cared very deeply for the other, holding each other after sex wasn't their thing. Sometimes they'd have sex and immediately separate and move to difference rooms or change. Mokuro had held him a few times and was extremely open to him, but Hiei couldn't stand to stay in that position. She'd only held him when he'd passed out and he'd heard later she wouldn't leave his side, and maybe once after sex when they'd originally agreed to become mates, but that hadn't happened since.

Hiei preferred it that way, while he may have cared very deeply, and while some called it love, holding another person wasn't something he did. And anyways Mokuro didn't need him like that.

* * *

"Sayomi, please eat some more," Yasuko begged; pushing her own plate towards the night worker. The younger girl had begun to notice Sayomi's sickness as had some of the others. It wasn't hard to notice, even though she was picking up some weight, but could hardly stomach to keep anything down in the early mornings.

Since Sayomi realized she was pregnant, the woman had tried to wear her kimono looser. At night she'd show more of her breasts than she was accompanied to, to shift attention away from her body. Her breasts had already grown some, even though she was only nearly two month and a half months along. The silver eyed woman had only managed to keep track through counting the days; no one really knew what month it was, except from hearing about it from men. They had no reason to keep track of the outside world; they only needed to focus on their own lives and attracting men for the mistress.

The sickness was hard to hide and she didn't escape everyone's notice. Yasuko still slept close to her side every night and noticed how early she rose to puke anything from the night before. The girl had sensitive hearing and now knew when to listen; often sitting on the futon, a worried look on her face when the pregnant woman returned. Sayomi no longer drank and few girls had asked about it, their eyes lingering on the silver eyed woman's abdomen before sighing and shaking their head.

"Drinking may cure your little ailment," one woman said, her eyes focused on Sayomi's abdomen as she said it. She was older then most of the women at the brothel; having been there most of her life.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she forced strength in her voice, choosing to turn on her heel and walk away. Sayomi tried to put on a brave face; she knew that all the women she usually sat and talked with had to know. Demon's had sharp noses and those women knew her scent well; it was obvious that something had shifted in her scent. No one had come out and confronted her like the older brothel woman had, but they'd dropped hints. One of the other women had given her some of her food after noticing that she'd puked up her breakfast, while another had distracted a client that was usually very rough with the girls away from Sayomi.

In reality she was scared; her mind had already processed the idea of making herself miscarriage or even worse aborting her own child. Drinking sake heavily could cause her to miscarriage and there was talk of many girls doing that before their pregnancy had progressed very far. Sayomi could intentionally be with one of the clients that had a reputation for getting very drunk and being so rough that he beat the women; that could lead to miscarrying her baby as well. She could have also punched herself in the stomach or ask another woman to do it for her. The last option was to use her own energy and force it upon her child to cause an abortion.

But none of these options were what she wanted.

Sayomi had been alive a long time, centuries. And never in her time serving her master had a child been a part of her life. There had never been an option to having a child, her life never reached down that path. Serving her master had been her only purpose in life and while she had given herself to men in the past before she'd become a part of the brothel, they'd been safe. Always used her energy to create a barrier or timed it with her monthly cycles, or in more recent times used what humans called a condom.

Since coming to the brothel all men were required to either wear protection or pay extra for the privilege of possibly becoming the father of a brothel girl's baby. She'd had men who had paid extra for the privilege of being inside her naked, but she'd always been careful; washing herself out very carefully afterwards or trying to get him to cum somewhere besides inside her . Men liked to get the opportunity to be a little freaky usually. And she checked the future for any signs of a growing baby inside of her. And yet this time the silver eyed woman had been careless; allowing Hiei to not only cum inside of her but to wash herself as carefully the next day.

It wasn't her plan to become pregnant and it wasn't something she was hoping for. It wasn't to say that she had never wanted children; once or twice in the few centuries she'd been alive the idea of a child had caught her fancy, but in the end she knew that a child wasn't for her. Serving her master was her one mission in life; there was no time for a family, for a mate, for a child. Her master had always kept her on a tight leash, expressing that while she could have relationships, they would end up meaningless. Sayomi had always made sure to keep them all relationships just physical or friendship. It wasn't worth allowing herself to become attached.

But keeping the child growing her belly was something she so desperately wanted with every fiber of her beings.

Maybe it was because the silver eyed woman knew that under any other circumstances the decision would have been made for her; her master would have aborted the child. Maybe because the option to have one had never been an option and now that she was already pregnant, it made her choice easier. She couldn't destroy the life inside her, it was a part of her.

It scared her more than life itself, because she knew what could happen to her child.

If they got a hold of Hiei, he could choose to ignore the situation or force her into having an abortion. If he choose to ignore the situation it would be her decision. She had no family to send a child too and forcing her child to become a brothel worker in her place was something that she just couldn't do. She didn't want them to throw her new born child out into the world without a single defense. While Demon World was more peaceful than it had ever been, a defenseless baby had little chances of surviving; even if his father had done the same thing. That left her to having an abortion if she never wanted her child to suffer, and now at two and a half months (based on her calculations) that would kill her very soul to do.

Idly the idea of Hiei buying her brothel contract fluttered across her brain. That didn't qualify as an option in her mind, while she believed he may allow the child to live and then take it from her after it was born, him taking them both under his protection didn't seem feasible. The fire demon had an intended that he was committed to; even though he had fucked her. That was a one time mistake and Sayomi never saw him returning in her visions. A child might ruin everything in his life.

But Hiei had seemed like a honorable man from both her visions, and what she had heard over the years about him. The fire demon had never betrayed his intended before or any of his friends. He had a strange honor code about him and while he didn't protect the weak, those that were loyal to him he rewarded in loyalty. Sayomi wondered if he would take the child just because it was a part of him, take responsibility for his actions. At least her child would have a fighting chance in this world then; least they'd be fed and clothed and hopefully watched over.

Even if it meant that she wouldn't get to be a part of her child's life; that's what Sayomi wanted. She didn't dare hope for any more.

* * *

"Lord Hiei, there's a summons here for you," a messenger interrupted his daily training. Every day he went to the outer walls of the fortress to train in peace. Inside was too stifling for his tastes and people hovered around him. While he wasn't the most liked of demons; they all fluttered to his side hoping to gain status in his eyes. Sometimes he missed being nothing more than an average demon. Those were the days where he could go as he pleased; there was no one he had to explain to when he decided to leave.

"From who?," his tone was sharp, aggravated. Yusuke had sent him a summons a few days before and it had bothered him. A feeling like guilt had churned in his stomach; he wondered if somehow news of his lie had gotten back to the young man.

"I'm not to say my Lord, I was instructed to give this to you and no one else. My mistress instructed I wasn't even to hand it off to another one of your messengers. This is given to you in privacy my Lord," the demon bowed in front of him. Hiei stopped his swing mid air, landing on the top of the fortress. He suddenly had a very bad feeling and upon closer inspection he realized that the messenger wasn't one of the normal messengers that brought him notes and similar things. The man didn't show his face and wore a cloak of green that covered his body. This was someone else that didn't belong to their faction. Normally, messengers brought messages from far away and handed them off to one of the fortresses messenger demons. Someone had obviously wanted to keep it a secret that they wanted to get a message to him.

"My mistress feels it would be better to read this in private my lord," the messenger demon laid the rolled parchment on the top of the fortress. He bowed once more, before disappearing.

Hiei used the jagan to watch the man's movements until he was out of range, before venturing towards the parchment. Using the jagan, he scanned it for an seals or energy in case it was a trap. When he found there was none he carefully ventured towards it. There was no being too careful in Demon World even in these peaceful times. Picking it up, the demon carefully inspected it; turning it around in his hands several times before opening it. It was short and to the point; a summons to make a decision that was all his.

 _Lord Hiei we are writing to inform you that you have sired a child with one of my women, Sayomi. By our inspection she is a little over two months and we await you to make a decision regarding the child that grows within her. Please come as soon as you are able. We will discuss this in further detail then._

The parchment flared to life in his hand, burning all evidence away but a tiny pile of ashes.

* * *

I know this is a little shorter, but this is more of a layover chapter than anything. I'm very sorry that this took so long to get out, but I've had a lot going on.

Until next time!


	5. Arc I: Money

I own nothing.

Word Count: 4837

Finish date: 2/12/2016

Release date:2-14-2016

* * *

The day the Mistress found out Sayomi was pregnant had started out as just another morning. She'd gotten up with the other women like usual, washed her body with Yasuko by her side. The girl had become a life saver; keeping to her side, feeding her extra portions, and keeping her company. She even stayed close to her at night, carving out a spot for them closest to the door for them to sleep at night. The younger girl got back to the room earlier than anyone else and would set up their sleeping area together. Sayomi was very grateful for her, and would go out of her way in return to make sure none of the other women picked on her. Even Ruka now stayed away from her, choosing to smirk at them both. Everyone knew of Sayomi's "condition" but the mistress herself and they all knew what would happen when she found out.

The silver eyed woman knew her secret was out when she awoke that morning. Visions of a scale, the mistress standing in front of her and moving her kimono away shown brightly in her mind. Sighing she'd gotten up and moved through the motions. Yasuko seemed worried, constantly asking her if everything was okay and did she need anything.

"Yasuko, please go straight to the table this morning," she'd instructed before they entered the communal room where all the women shared breakfast. It wasn't obvious to the other women, but she was worried. The mistress knew about her visions, she had to know that Sayomi would know she was pregnant before it was obvious to everyone and hadn't come to her. Would she be angry? Would she embarrass her in front of the other women? Scanning the future gave her a little comfort; the mistress didn't seem too upset, but then again the woman hide her emotions well on her face.

"Sayomi, come here please?," the mistress addressed her as soon as she came into the room. The mistress was a tall woman, taller than most men. She wasn't a beautiful woman by any means, tall and broad shouldered. Her face had never grown elegant, but remained sharp and hard angles with purple eyes that stared someone down their very soul. Her long brown hair was worn simply; all piled on to her head in an easy bun. Her voice was cold, but could be nice if she felt generous that day. It wasn't that she hated or looked down on any of these women, but she was hard on them all. It was rumored that in truth she just ran the brothel, but another oversaw her, owned her just like they were all owned.

"Yes, ma'am," Sayomi kept her head up; silver eyes staring deep into purple ones. Her long black hair bounced as she walked; usually she tied it up before breakfast, but this morning she had an awful headache. She bowed small when she finally reached the mistress before straightening back up. She held her hands in front of herself; the right over the left one.

"You have gained weight, step up on to the scale," her voice was demanding, but easy. Her purple eyes ran the length of Sayomi's body, settling first on her stomach and then her face. Most occupants of the room were watching, a few had chosen to keep their heads down, happy that today it wasn't them being forced on the scale. Without a struggle, the silver eyed woman stepped on to the scale, watching the needle going up fifteen pounds heavier than her ideal weight was. Sighing, she stared down at the needle, wishing it hadn't moved so far up the scale.

"Is there a reason for this, Sayomi?," the mistress asked, walking around the woman in a circle. Her eyes didn't miss a detail and finally she came to stop right in front of the pregnant female. Without waiting for a response she opened the front of Sayomi's kimono, her hands tracing her abdomen; feeling the little bump that was already there. Energy circled the brown haired woman's hands, before she felt the energy spike that signified that a demon child lay within the other woman's body. She barely moved her hand away before the energy burned her in warning. "It's so strong already, so hot," the mistress went to move her hand over Sayomi's little bump again, before with drawing again, "and protective. The child's energy went to protect what it felt was a threat so quickly,". Her eyes light up in amazement, bending down to be eye level with the pregnant woman's abdomen. She carefully without using her ernegy, probed Sayomi's baby belly. "So young though; before three months I'm guessing". Her eyes rose to meet the other woman's in question.

"Yes, closer to two and half months," her right hand touched her bump, rubbing small circles to calm both her own energy and her unborn child's. The baby's energy had never rose up like that before, but then again her own energy had been all that it felt; all that it fed off of. Tilting her head to the side, she wondered how strong her child was already. From what she knew of demons, both parents fed their unborn child in the womb; both genetics and how much energy per parent went into the nature of a child's energy. Demons didn't have hearts, but cores. A core within a child was created when a child was conceived, but without at least one parent's energy the core would falter and be weak. In some cases the child was stillborn or miscarriage early on. It was the main reason Sayomi was so tired; she was the only one supplying the unborn child with energy to create their core.

"Do you know who the father is?," the mistress asked, breaking her from her thoughts. Sayomi felt her body chill, because she was afraid. What would the mistress say? The other woman didn't seem angry just yet, but would that change? It was one thing to become pregnant with some no body's baby, but Hiei wasn't just no body. He was to be mated to Mokuro ruler of Alaric; would this bring her wrath down on all of them? And on his own he was a fierce and powerful demon that many dared not challenge. Would he even accept this as his child? Sayomi's place within the brothel was already precarious as it was, because of who she had served before she'd come there. The mistress might deem it too much trouble and have an abortion preformed without consulting Hiei.

"Lord Hiei of Alaric," for once in a very long time she didn't look at someone in the eyes as she told them. Silver eyes traced the floorboards, her hands tightening over her abdomen in worry. Eyes were the window to the soul and in her case the future. It had always been easier to see someone's future decisions while looking into their eyes.

Sayomi rather not see if her child would be aborted or not.

* * *

Hiei waited until Mokuro had gone to see Enki about a land dispute with Yomi. He'd conversed with her, convincing her that she needed to see the King. Rumors that Yomi had allowed some of his bandits to attack demons along Alaric and Gandara's border were flying and he'd told her that it made sense for her to settle them quickly rather than wait and let things boil over. _Protect the peace they had_ , he'd said. The demoness had agreed with him whole heartedly; she'd even invited him to join her. His reason for not joining his intended was because he wished to see his sister in human world. Genkai already believed he was coming; Yusuke was not going to be in the area. It made the perfect time for him to go and she accepted it.

But it was all a lie.

As soon as his jagan could no longer see his intended, he'd left the fortress in a flutter of black. His feet took him over the terrain of Demon World faster than most demons could ever hope to be. He avoided settlements, so no one would know he was still in Demon World and report it back to Mokuro. His jagan stayed wide open, helping him avoid any hordes of low level demons that would engage in a fight. There was no point in wasting the little time he had to deal with this. Mokuro would only be gone a few days. Unlike last time he didn't have a portal to take him closer and the fire demon didn't trust Koenma to keep his business a secret. He had to run the whole way there and luckily the brothel was only a little way into Gandara; about a day from where the fortress was parked in it's ruler's absence.

This little problem had to be dealt with.

Hiei eyed the place carefully when it came into sight, choosing to stop a couple hundred yards before. His jagan checked all energy signals in the immediate area, careful this was no trap set for him. When he was sure there was no danger in the area, he made his way towards the brothel. His mind raced over possibilities of how this was going to go. Of how he had been so careless to get some whore pregnant. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. The lie was already set; if Mokuro ever found out that he'd cheated on her with a brothel girl it would ruin everything. His lie concerning Yusuke had only added to the fire that would be if she ever found out about any of this.

The fire demon's mind returned to the conversation he'd shared with the silver eyed woman about what happened if one of her fellow brothel girls got pregnant. He remembered feeling bad for the mother's to be if they had to give but their children, but as he'd thought that night, those things were the way of the world. The brothel women never expected to have families and children to hope for such a thing was stupid, unrealistic. They knew their station in life and if some man chose to take the child that was their choice, but Hiei wasn't taking his child.

He had no life to offer a child.

When Mokuro and him had talked about children, it was in an abstract way. Something that could one day happen (many believed Mokuro was infertile, but in reality she could conceive, it just wouldn't be as easy as some women), but it probably never would. They both enjoyed their freedom, their power. A demon mother for the term of her pregnancy was weak, a lot of her energy went to developing her unborn child's core. A father usually helped which in term left him weaker. Mokuro couldn't afford to be weak; she was ruler of Alaric. Other demons may see that as a hindrance and hope to overthrow her. Also Hiei had never wanted children; they were loud, messy, and more troublesome than they were worth. He had everything he had ever wanted; why bring a child into his life and change things when he finally liked the direction in which his life was headed?

It was better for everyone involved that the child not even come into this world.

"Lord Hiei, we have been awaiting your arrival," the lobby girl was a different one from before. This one smiled at him with sharp pointed teeth. "Wait here, while I tell the mistress that you are waiting and set up a room for you," she winked at him once before heading behind the clothe that made up the doorway. His jagan eye flared to life as he followed her movements down the hall, tracking her energy until he felt her energy join several others.

It didn't take long before she came back, beckoning him to follow her back. They traveled much the same path as she had the first time. The woman didn't talk, which was a relief to Hiei. It was bad enough he was here, to hear a whore talk about any of this would make it worse. When they finally stopped, the woman opened the door for him, "Go inside, my lord,". She shut the door quietly, her footsteps unheard as she left.

Immediately his eyes went for the silver eyed Sayomi. Cherry eyes scanned her body for any changes, he took notice of her now much looser kimono, fuller breasts, and a glow around her face. She didn't look much different, but his mind easily supplied the image of her from the night this problem had been conceived. The fire demon had to stop himself from shaking his head to get the naked image of Sayomi from his mind, forcing himself to focus on her now as she stood before him. She was still beautiful he noticed, her long hair now hanging down loose around her face and shoulders. Her right had went over where the child was in her belly as silver eyes flashed, her left going to her gasping lips. He raised an eyebrow in question at her, before letting his jagan eye flash over her, he wanted to be sure this was really his child.

He wasn't disappointed.

Sayomi's energy was obviously all the energy the child was receiving, but Hiei could sense himself there as well. The child's energy -no the thing's energy, he told himself- flared a little. The warmth of the energy, so much like his own surprised him. It contacted with his own, feeding on it immediately. When he went to investigate further the energy protected the energy that was the mother's, in a way biting at Hiei's own. _I've had much more practice parasite_ , he growled in his mind, pushing the energy into submission.

 _Don't hurt it_.

The voice in his mind was obviously her's and Hiei was astounded that she had the courage to communicate with him in such a way. He felt her offer her own energy to the unborn child before forming a protective ring around her womb. This time he observed the energy as it fed, watching as it burned hot and strong and with each second there was no way he could deny that the unborn was his'. He withdrew finally after the child once more tried to feed from him, not wishing to allow the child to have any of it.

"We won't have to convince you that the child within Sayomi's womb is your's then," a tall woman asked him. Her arms were crossed, her brown hair was tied back in a long pony tail at the nape of her neck. Other women were in the room and a male demon who obviously served as a body guard were present. "I am the Mistress of this brothel house, Arisu. I am pleased you came so quickly," she smiled once, before gesturing to the table in front of her, "While don't we sit and have tea, Sayomi tires easily these days".

They all knelled quickly, Hiei choosing to sit across from the silver eyed woman. He stretched one leg out, the other at an angle so he could rest his arm over it. Not once did he drop his guard around these people. His eyes scanned each of their faces, watching as the body guard stayed, but the other girls left to get refreshments.

"Normally this wouldn't be such a formal affair, but this is a special case," Arisu's eyes gestured to the silver eyed woman once before focusing on him. Once they had been served drinks and some finger food she gestured for everyone but herself, the bodyguard, Sayomi, and Hiei to leave the room. "Usually I would contact the father with the news and we would go from there. Either he agree to pay for an abortion or we come up with an agreement with the child and mother," she paused, taking time to sip from her tea, "but you are such a high ranking demon that I wished to see you face to face," her eyes met his easily, a small smile forming.

"I do not want it, I'd prefer if we would just kill it," Hiei's voice was rough and quick. He cut through the room quickly, leaving only silence in it's wake. There was no point in wasting time with banter and frivolous words. Pulling a substantial sum of money from inside his cloak he threw it on the table, "Will that be enough?". He knew the reason this was special was because the mistress knew she could charge a lot of money to make this whole mess go away and he would willingly pay it.

The room went even stiller.

Sayomi knew this was coming; she'd seen it as soon as his energy had touched her unborn child inside. She'd gasped in fright, the image of him throwing the money down on the table and then a few minutes later after they had finalized the agreement, the doctor waiting in another room coming in. They would hold her down and pull her legs apart, and take the child within her from her. They would kill it. Ever since the vision she'd been shooting the fire demon angry hateful looks, all the time thinking of ways to change her vision. She didn't want to lose her unborn child.

"Are you sure this is really what you want Lord Hiei?," Arisu asked, already picking up the money. Her eyes gleamed in satisfaction, counting it as she spoke. Her words may have been in a way to question the demon lord, but her actions spoke volumes. She'd take the money for an abortion and that would be the end of it. Sayomi glared daggers at both of them, both hands coming to lay across her womb. The child's energy spiked a little, along with her's.

"I have no need for it," was his response. Cherry eyes watched the silver eyed woman's body shake. He wondered briefly if she would cry. While he really didn't want her to have to go through this, a child was not what he wanted. And hadn't she seemed sad that a child would get thrown out? Did she was the thing to be thrown out on the streets? Hiei had lived through that; it wasn't a happy life.

"Then you are free to lea-,"

"No!," Sayomi slammed her hands down on the table, causing the money to blow across the table. Her silver eyes flashed dangerously. Energy cracked around her, causing the body guard to lunge at her. In the seconds it took everyone to react, Sayomi had already saw him lunging for her as soon as she had allowed her energy to crackle across her skin. He perceived her as a threat and that's how she saw him to her unborn child. She'd never been one of the women who fought or caused problems so the mistress never knew to fight her. So when he lunged at her, she already had the knife in her hand as she dropped to the floor board, sweeping his feet our from under him in one swoop. She had never liked to fight, her strengths were avoiding conflict and predicting her master's enemies movements, but she'd been trained how to in case a fight could not be avoided at all costs. When the guard tried to over power her and shove her off, she dug the knife she'd grabbed into his throat in warning. His flailing stopped and his eyes met her's.

"I will kill you, it won't be the first time," her voice was cold and even. Silver eyes watched as a little more blood dripped from the wound. Turning her head, she eyed the other two demons in the room, scanning the future, Hiei didn't care for the life of the demon, he wouldn't interfere and as for the mistress she could intercept her before she got too close.

"Sayomi, think of your place here in the brothel," the mistress spoke softly, "Is a child worth being punished? Lord Hiei here is willingly to pay for everything. You won't have any more debt on your records. A child of your's would be thrown out to die. You have no family, no one to take it. Lord Hiei will not take it". She tried to make good points, but Sayomi didn't listen.

"I owe you nothing, I am nothing more than a slave that was sold to you. You own me, I do not owe no debt to you," she spat the words angrily. Her silver eyes flashed once before barring into Hiei's cherry ones, she begged him with her eyes to reconsider.

"Then think of your child, I will own them as well. I can sell them as well, you will not get to see them grow. I will either sell their body like I do your's or sell them. They may get eaten or bought by someone who will treat them with cruelty. Is that what you want?," the mistress held her hands in front of her face. Her voice was soft and pleading, but Sayomi knew it was just a ploy. All the mistress wanted was money; she didn't truly care for Sayomi or her unborn child.

"Let me speak to Lord Hiei alone," she demanded, her voice stern and steady.

"Lord Hi-,"

"Leave us," Hiei's voice cut through the room. He'd crossed his arms over his chest and he returned the gaze of the silver eyed woman. The little drama had played out in front of him and his thoughts had shifted a little. The woman able to fight had surprised him. He hadn't expected it. And then he realized he'd learned an answer to one of his questions the first time they'd met. The fire demon had wondered if she'd owed a great debt, but now he realized that she was a slave. Much like Mokuro had been. His feelings shifted a little, a young Mokuro flashing through his mind at the word slave.

"Yes, my lord we will go," Arisu bowed low once, before speaking again, "Sayomi will you please release my body guard?," her voice was sweet, but promised the the silver eyed woman would be in much pain later. Visions of beatings flashed across Sayomi's mind, before she shook her head and jumped back off the body guard. He sent her a glare as he joined the mistress, leaving the room.

The door sliding shut spoke volumes of the room as it fell into silence.

Sayomi couldn't believe she'd reacted in such a way. In all of her centuries she had never went against anyone that owned her, not even when her master had sold her to the brothel house. She'd taken the punishment in stride, at least here she had food, clothes, and wasn't in jail or dead. Other's had it far worse than she did and while the brothel wasn't a perfect place to be at least it was mostly safe and offered her protection. And she could still give information to Koenma this way. That was why she didn't complain; she'd spent her life following orders. She was a slave and she didn't know any other way in life.

But she couldn't let them take her son from her.

And she knew for certain it would be a son. When Hiei had told the other's to leave the room, a vision of her child had been seen. A strange woman with long mint green hair and cherry eyes similar to Hiei's was cleaning him from delivery, she'd just wiped blood off his leg when his sex became obvious for all to see. He'd been crying and wiggling in the woman's hands.

"Why don't you want to give it up?," Hiei's voice cut through her thoughts, he was once again sitting at the table with one knee propped up and his arm laying on it. His cherry eyes regarded her curiously, the money lay between them. He was honestly curious why she wouldn't want to just be rid of it; she couldn't give the child a life.

"I never wanted to be a mother," Sayomi smiled at him, resting her face on one of her hands. Her silver eyes held his cherry ones, and she sighed before going on, "Last time we talked we discussed what happened to whores that became pregnant, do you remember?," she picked up a drink and sloshed it around, sipping from it carefully.

"Hn," of course he remembered. That whole conversation had led to them having sex and now to the situation they were in. He growled; that wasn't something he wanted to remember, but the image of her naked and in his arms flashed across his memory. The fire demon remembered her smooth skin under his rough finger tips, the way she'd felt around him when they'd had sex, the way she'd moaned when he took control of her body.

"I don't want to be a mother so I can leave this place," taking another sip before putting her cup back down on the table, "I want to be a mother to give my son the things I don't remember," her soft delicate hands went over where her baby grew in her womb, smiling at Hiei softly. The fire demon wondered what she meant by don't remember, finding it strange. Did she not remember her life as child? Or did she simply mean that she wanted to give him a better life that the one she had been given?

"Son?," his brow knitted in confusion. Wasn't it too early to tell if it was male or female? She wasn't even three months along, how could she know? It didn't look or feel very developed either. When he'd investigated it there was no distinguishing features to tell if it was a male.

"He's a boy," she smiled at him, rubbing small circles on her belly. Sayomi didn't want to tell him of her visions, realizing that he'd be more receptive to her if she kept him guessing. She nearly laughed when the fire demo scoffed at her.

"It's too early to tell, what if you're wrong?," he asked, his cherry eyes watching her fingers trace circles on her abdomen. Idly he wondered why she seemed so sure. His thoughts pointed out that this was how she'd gotten him to talk to her before, coy remarks and using her smiles to distract him. It was something she was good at he realized.

"I'm never wrong," her silver eyes bared into his soul, before she winked at him. Sayomi took another swig of her drink. She wouldn't admit that she'd been, not wrong per say, but visions changed sometimes. People's decisions changed and one thing that may only have been a pebble in the grand scheme of life could completely change the path someone was on. But this vision of her child being male was not something that would change. Nothing she could do now could change her son to switch genders.

"Hn," once again Hiei snorted, feeling himself be drawn into her ways.

"Don't you want to see him grow?," she asked, before adding, "I don't really care if you want to be a part of his life or not, but please don't end it before he has a chance to have a life," her big silver eyes were pleading. Her voice real low and Hiei wondered if she would cry. There were tears there.

Suddenly an image of his mother filled his mind. He only ever saw her through memories of the other snow maidens when he'd seen their minds. Her face looked much like Yukina's, but older. All traces of childhood was gone from her face. She'd been tall with long minty hair like Yukina, but both mother and children all shared the same cherry eyes. He'd gotten them from his mother, just like Yukina got them from her. It was trait they all shared. She had died bringing him into this world; if she'd chosen to just have Yukina she would still be alive, but she'd chosen to bring him into this world. To defy everything that was expected of her, willingly for her son. She'd loved him. Hiei wondered if his mother begged the elders for the right to have him, had they proposed that she have an abortion and just take him from her womb and leave just Yukina there? She'd willingly gave up her life for him and now he wouldn't even allow his child, her grand child to come into this world. He though of his mother's big red eyes wide and full of unshed tears just like the silver eyed woman in front of him.

His mother had sacrificed so much to bring him into the world; what right did he have to end the life of her unborn grand child?

* * *

Well I finished and edited this in one day, right after I just put the other chapter up. Any guesses as to what's going to happen next?

Until next time!


	6. Arc I: The Temple

I own nothing.

Release date: 2/18/2016

Word Count: 5779

* * *

"Is there something I can get you?," the ice demon asked Sayomi. Silver eyes examined the ice demon with pretty mint green hair and cherry red eyes like the father of her child. This was definitely the demon from her earlier vision; causing her to feel a little more at ease with her soundings the longer she spent in the other girl's presence. Yukina the ice maiden was quiet, but sweet, offering tea and food with such generosity it astounded her. Ever since they'd appeared at the temple's door, the minty haired girl had offered things, even though it had been barely daylight in Human World when they'd arrived.

The fresh air had ruffled Sayomi's hair, bringing a smile to her face. It had been more than four or five years since she'd been allowed to come to Human world. The air was fresher to her than Demon World and Spirit World's air had never been to her liking. While it didn't have the smell of rotten flesh or death like Demon World did, Spirit World smelled much too like a sterilized room. It was a created smell, something to cover up the pretense that death was not the end, but something to be okay with. Sayomi had always enjoyed assignments to the Human World best; it felt like she was coming home. While the woman didn't remember her life before belonging to her master, she liked to believe that she'd lived in Human World. Why else would her nose pick up the smell so quickly, her body feel more alive, her very soul more at peace? Silver eyes scanned the wilderness, sure that they were hours away from any nearby city or town. Quickly she realized that Hiei meant to hide her here, keep her locked away: it was just another cage for her to dwell.

At least her son would be safe.

They'd left the Brothel behind quickly after Hiei had made his decision, so quickly there was no chance his mind would change. The fire demon had given all the money he'd brought with him to the mistress and promised her another large sum of money to buy Sayomi's brothel contract and keep this little matter quiet.

"We've never had a girl called Sayomi here before," the mistress had winked at them, shaking loose strands out of her face before promptly shutting her office door rather loudly. The transaction was done and Sayomi had a new owner; Hiei, Lord of Alaric. The seer was surprised that the mistress had given her up for such a price, but chose to ignore it. Visions assaulted her mind; images of fire, of sunshine, of blood, of bare skin, of death, of life. They ran across her brain so quickly, nothing concrete but solid all the same. She'd had these visions before; there were too many factors still up in the air before she could get a clear read on what was going to happen. After shaking her head to clear the visions from her mind, they'd set off for Human World.

Sayomi had long since learned there was no point in worrying over the future; it came regardless.

There hadn't been much words between them as they walked. She could have run, but so much of her energy went to the baby in her womb that she'd have tired quickly. Hiei seemed to understand and allowed her too walk as he leaped through the trees above her. The fire demon never strayed from eye sight she realized -if eyesight only meant a fluttering of his black cloak here or there. His red eyes caught her silver ones once; she sent him a nod and a humorless smile. There had been a slight trace of worry there, almost like he felt he was pushing her too hard. But it'd been gone, but a sense of security washed over her. His jagan eye had flashed from under the bandages she'd noticed; he was watching for enemies, keeping the three of them safe among the trees. When they'd reached the portal, he'd said nothing to her, only to nod and step through it. He waited on the other side for her to join him, before heading off through a completely different forest.

This one still spoke of danger, but Sayomi realized immediately that they were in Human World even in the dark. This was a quiet walk as well, the sounds of early morning beings awakening the only sounds being heard. Sunlight had begun to shine through the trees, her eyes having a much easier time seeing. Sayomi was no demon and the night time had proved hard for her to see, only Hiei's fiery energy on the edges of her senses had kept her going in the right direction after him.

"It will be safe here," his deep voice muttered, the lightest of thumps in the early morning as Hiei dropped from the trees beside her at the edge of the forest. He allowed his arms to hang loosely at his side. The woman wasn't sure if the fire demon meant the temple was safe or her unborn child would be safe here.

A temple lay before them, an old wooden structure that stood firm against the country side. The green roof might have been aged, but shown lots of well care and no signs of neglect shown on the tiles. The walls of the main structure looked strong despite general age. A wall stood tall on the other side of the main temple compound indicated to Sayomi that most people usually came through there; they'd came through the back way. Old style shrine statues littered the grounds, while pathways of stone led from where the forest entered to a door that was already slide open in wait for them.

"You sent word ahead?," Sayomi spoke softly, her silver eyes taking in the beauty of the temple. While it obviously was very very old, it was very taken care of. She wagered that it must have been decades old, maybe older than a hundred years. A coy pond off to the side drew her attention and she had to draw herself away before she went to examine the fish. The place spoke volumes of quiet and tranquility and her mind seemed to fall into an easy silence. Her visions seemed to calm once they entered the temple's grounds.

"Hn," Hiei grumbled, matching his walk to the woman beside him. Out of the corner of his cherry red eyes he watched his companion, her footsteps were quiet and barely made any noise as they'd walked through the forest. It had impressed him that not once during their journey had she complained or made any sounds of unease. She'd simply followed him blindly; which made her a fool, but he figured at least she hadn't tried to run away. The brothel house had turned her out in a simple yukata of cream; she had no belongings in the world but the clothes on her back. There was no combs to hold her waist length hair up and it hung loosely. No make up adorned her face, but he found that she didn't need it to be beautiful. Her silver eyes were still sharp as they took in the area, he noticed. Hiei thought of their journey here from demon world; his mind still a mess of conflicting emotions.

The journey had bee an easy one, too slow for his liking. His mind had raced the whole time to Genkai's, mulling over the decision he was making. If anyone ever found out that he had sired a child with a whore, the consequences would be great. Mokuro would be furious, her trust in him completely destroyed beyond repair. But in the end he couldn't kill it, this child conceived from a one night drunken stand. Once he'd thought of his own mother and everything she had done for him, it just didn't seem fair. The least he could do was allow it to come into the world and have a living chance. The mother of it didn't even seem to be a half bad woman, despite being a whore. He allowed himself a small comfort that the mother of it seemed to at least love it enough to want it enough to fight for opportunity to have it.

Hiei refused to think of it as any more than an it; it came from him sure, but he wouldn't be a father to it. The fire demon accepted responsibility for it to come into this world, he'd allow it to be born. A son, he thought, before quickly changing the son to an it. There would be no attachments, no love. The fire demon would care for the mother and it until such a time that they could care for themselves. He hoped after it was born, the mother, Sayomi, would look for a job and support them. If he had to offer money then that was acceptable, as long as they never interfered in his life with Mokuro or expected anything more. The cherry eyed demon accepted these terms.

The decision to bring her to Genkai's had been a difficult one. One one hand, there was no other place he could think to keep her. No place that was free from the eye's of Demon World's informants that would arouse suspicions beside Genaki's. Mokuro knew he traveled to Genkai's often to look over his sister and every now and then to train with some of the others. Other demons believed he just had informants of his own in Human World and while they were true in some ways, he kept his trips to Human World confidential. Sayomi and it would be free to live here for a while in peace and no one in Demon World would ever know. The one down fall was that he was not the only one from the old gang that came here. Many times he'd come here and discovered Kuwabara or Kurama, or even one of the girls here visiting Genkai or Yukina. No matter what happened in any of their lives, something always brought them back to Genkai's. It wasn't strange that someone would pop up for a visit or advice from the old lady either; the old hag couldn't even in retirement get peace.

But Hiei had decided that despite the risks of one of the old gang showing up here while the whore carrying his child was here, Genkai's temple was still the best place for her. Even if one of the gang showed up, no one would really think anything of it. Genkai and Yukina weren't the type to gossip and would simply keep any information they knew about the situation to themselves. Sayomi could be like Yukina, a demon trying to eventually move into Human World. Hiei had just been tasked with bringing her here. The fire demon didn't think Genkai would believe that, the old lady was too shrewd for that, but he didn't think she would out him either. As far as she would see it, it wasn't any of her business. He just hoped she allowed the girl to stay.

Genkai had obviously been expecting them.

The door was slide wide open, the smell of tea reaching Hiei's sharp demon nose as soon as they entered the door way. Sayomi slide her shoes off before they'd even climbed the steps that led to the porch along the temples walls, bowing once before entering the temple and sliding the door shut behind them in respect. Hiei watched her carefully; the woman had very keen manners. The lights were on in the hallway, illuminating the way. The sunlight only kept these front rooms lit and as early as it was not much light illuminated the hallway.

"Hiei, you've come rather early today," Yukina appeared from down the hallway, a small smile lighting up her face. Her hands were crossed in front of her, before she sent Sayomi a surprised look, her brow furrowing in thought. The former brothel woman, felt the icy energy of the ice maiden brush against her in question. The child within her womb grabbed onto the energy, feeling it out before devouring it.

"I-" Sayomi started before with a surge of her own energy fed it to her child, before the child could take anymore from the ice demon. "-am sorry. He doesn't know any better," she smiled once, resting her right palm of her belly, "I don't think I've been supplying him with enough,". Her left hand fiddled at her side, her head titled in an apology, "he's a little beast, so hungry. He feeds on any aura that comes in contact with my own and his,". Sayomi lied easily, the child within her didn't feed on just any one; he'd gone after only Hiei and her own energy, and now this woman. It was strange, but she decided not to dwell on it. Maybe he just liked the feel of the ice.

"Keep _it_ under control, " Hiei growled, glaring at Sayomi's womb, "Or I will,". The jagan flashed under it's bandages once, before he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway.

"Don't worry about it," Yukina's voice was even and the ice maiden smiled at the other woman. She didn't mind that the child had tried to eat from it, it had just confused and scared her at first. It wasn't expected and the only time she had ever expected to feel that was when she had her own child. The ice maiden wasn't old enough yet to bare her own child yet, so the feeling had been unexpected and scary at first. "Your child probably acted on instinct; it might have felt curious," she smiled again, her cherry eyes watching Sayomi.

"I'm still sorry," the silver eyed woman bowed in apology, before continuing, "I will do my best not to allow him to feed on you again, Miss?,". The question was left open the other woman to answer. Sayomi wondered who this woman was, noticing the similiar height and eyes to the fire demon. Their body types were similar as well, and the pregnant woman wondered why. Were they somehow related? Did her child have family on Hiei's side that he would get to know? She'd seen this woman in her vision; she was kind and held her son carefully.

"I am Yukina," the young ice maiden bowed easily, "I live here with Genkai,". It was obvious they were studying each other and both wondered who the other one was, before Yukina spoke again, "Hiei went to join Genkai for breakfast, maybe we should join them," she smiled again, gesturing down the hallway.

"I think you are probably right," Sayomi smiled at her, choosing to follow the ice maiden down the hallway, "I am Sayomi," she spoke quietly. While they walked, the seer chose to study more of the temple, making sure to remember the way back as they went. The temple seemed even bigger on the inside than it had when looking at it from the forest. The hallways went on for several minutes, many other hallways branching out in different directions.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Sayomi," as they finally come to a stop, the ice maiden threw a smile over her shoulder. Sliding the door open, Yukina gestured for her to go first into what looked like a kitchen.

The kitchen was spacious, with a refrigerator off to the right and a stove next to. A double sided sink sat beneath a window, with simple cream color counter space on either side of the sink. The floors were hardwood, much like hallways and a low table was in the middle of the room, cushions for seating all the way around. Hiei sat at one end, his knee propped up to his chest. His cherry red eyes seemed to watch her, meeting her's, before she looked away. A tea kettle rested in front of him, steam rising from his cup.

An older lady drew her attention. Faded pink to grey hair fellow in waves to her shoulder. The woman was already dressed for the day, a cup nestled between her hands. While Sayomi watched, she blew over her cup softly, finally opening her eyes to look at her. Brown eyes with tints of pink regarded her curiously. She quirked an eyebrow in question when Sayomi continued to stare at her.

"Sit down," the old lady huffed, rolling her eyes at her, "Go on, don't just stand there in the doorway like an idiot all day," she nodded towards the seat across from her. Her voice was gruff and obviously she was used to barking orders. Sayomi frowned a little, before obeying.

This was obviously Genkai. In all her years, the seer had heard of her, but never once seen her. The once great psychic was known threw out the three worlds, hailed in one as a monster, another as a fellow psychic, and the last as a hero. So great a life had she led, that Spirit World had allowed her to come back to life to continue to teach the Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi. The woman finally realized where exactly she was. Hiei had brought her to the temple of Genkai; he planned to keep her here.

Hiei snorted as the woman stood there like a fool in the doorway, she seemed shocked to see Genkai. He wouldn't be surprised if she had at least heard of her, most demons had heard of the psychic. She'd once been something of a boogeyman to them, but now days she was just an old lady that everyone seemed to enjoy bothering. The fire demon realized that he himself was bothering her right now in asking this favor from her. It was enough that she allowed his sister to live here in peace, but he was asking her to take another into her home and eventually a child.

"Would you like anything for breakfast, Sayomi, Hiei?," Yukina's voice cut through the quiet. The ice maiden had already begun to set the table. Hiei watched her silently, noticing that she was in good health and looked happy here with Genkai.

"Anything you have is fine, please," Sayomi spoke up first. Hiei observed that the woman was kneeling, her hands in her lap. She hadn't even reached for a cup until she deemed that it was accepted of her. The fire demon realized that the woman had probably been a slave her whole life and wasn't used to being asked for things. Rolling his eyes, Hiei returned to drinking his tea. He hadn't thought up a good way to broach the subject with the old woman about allowing the other woman to stay.

"Hn," he spoke softly. He could never find it in his heart to be deliberately mean to his sister, often his words and voice would come out softer when she was around, no matter how hard he tried just to treat her like any one else. She was the only family he had and in the end he'd protect her no matter what. That's why he always came to check in on her well being.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, Yukina serving rice and eggs in a quiet manner. Every now and then she'd ask a question about how things were going in Demon World, or talk about Kuwabara coming to visit. Apparently the previous weekend, the oak had taken a train to pick her up and then they had gone in to the city to do some shopping together. If it had been anyone else, it would have been nonsense, but because it was her he paid attention and nodded in the right places. His sister seemed happy with her life here in Human World. Every now and then, he'd look over at Sayomi, noticing that she ate everything on her plate quickly. Yukina seemed to notice as well, refilling her plate, despite the woman's protests.

"So what brings you to Human World," Genkai asked when breakfast was over, her eyes staring the fire demon down, "so early this morning?," she sipped her tea quietly. She'd raised her eyebrow in question, her voice demanding an answer. Hiei had long since learned that as old as the woman was that she was not to be trifled with no matter how weak she appeared.

"You said you wanted to open this place up to demons, correct?," taking a sip from his tea, his tone matched the old woman's -full of sarcasm-, "I brought you someone that wishes to leave Demon World behind," he shrugged his shoulders in the silver eyed woman's direction, watching as she froze for a minute before shrugging as well.

"Why do you wish to leave Demon World?," faded pink eyes snapped in her direction. Carefully before answering, Sayomi finished chewing, setting her chop sticks down. The perfect lie had come to her, a mix of the truth and a carefully constructed lie.

"I wished to escape the father of my child," she rubbed her stomach once, choosing her words carefully, "he wanted to abort our child; this was the only way to be safe. I also wanted to give my son a better life than he would lead in Demon World," she leaned her chin on her hand, her big silver eyes staring down the older woman. She dared her to question her lie, before continuing, "Lord Hiei was kind," -she emphasized the word kind, sending the fire demon a wink- "enough to escort me though the barrier, for a small fee of course,". She smiled, putting the charm on. Sayomi had long since learned how to charm someone, even though lately men had been her clientele, not old ladies.

"Hiei I have never known you to be motivated for money," she sent the fire demon in question a look, shaking her head once, "but then again you do sometimes have a soft spot for young women," her faded eyes flashed to Yukina and then back to Sayomi quickly, before staring at Hiei himself.

She knew.

The lie that Sayomi had proclaimed was full proof; both a mix of a lie and a truth; Yukina certainly believed it, but the old pyshic didn't believe one word. If the looks that she shot in his direction were any indication that she knew that the child that resided in the silver eyed woman's womb was his. He only wondered if she'd call his bullshit out in front of him or keep it to herself, claiming it wasn't any of her business.

"Will you allow her to stay?," Hiei asked after a minute of silence. Keeping his tone natural, the fire demon closed his eyes; choosing to put a mask of indifference over his face. This mattered, but he choose not to show it. Where else was he going to hide the brothel woman away if Genkai said no? The only other person he could think to hide her was Kurama and the fire demon had hoped to avoid that at all costs. The fox might have been something of a friend, but he was sly. The redhead already teased him mercilessly about Yukina; there would be no end to it then if he knew about the brothel woman.

Sayomi watched the old woman, she felt like the woman hadn't completely accepted her lie, but she didn't choose to try and embellish the story any further. Long ago she'd learned that a lie was accepted more easily the simpler it was told. If the woman choose to believe her or not was her choice, but she worried what would happen if she wasn't allowed to stay here. While she wasn't too keen on staying with unfamiliar people, she'd rather be alone, but if this was a safe place to have her baby, then she'd rather be here. The woman had seen Yukina in her visions birthing her son, but that didn't mean she'd spent her whole pregnancy around the ice maiden.

"She can stay here in the house," the woman grumbled, shooting Hiei a glare before turning to the pregnant woman, "but I expect you to work; cooking, cleaning, and generally helping Yukina with her daily chores," Genkai's face turned sour. While she may enjoy company now and again, she valued her peace and quiet, and while Yukina kept herself occupied, that didn't mean this girl would.

"Yes ma'am," smiling a fake smile, she sipped her tea. Sayomi wasn't a fan of housework and she had never done it for anyone else besides herself. While working under her master before living at the brothel, she had never done housework besides keep her quarters clean. Luckily her master had never required her to be a house servant, but never did he cater to her own well being. She was expected to cook her own meals, do her own laundry, clean her own quarters, and run her own errands along with completing any tasks her master gave her. But the silver eyed woman figured it wouldn't be too difficult and in the grand scheme of things would be a much better living arrangement than living at the brothel.

"Yukina, put her in the room next to your's," finishing her tea, the old woman huffed once more before heading out the kitchen and out of sight, muttering something about being too nice in her old age.

The three sat in moderate silence for a while, before Hiei got up as well to leave the room. Sayomi watched him leave, doing her best to keep a bored expression on her face; would he say goodbye? Would he be back? Would she only see him in random spurts? Was this his way of taking care of their son? She wanted to question him, but choose to stay quiet and finish what was left on her plate.

"Hiei will say goodbye before he leaves," Yukina spoke up after a few minutes. Her back was to the silver eyed woman as she stood at the sink washing dishes. Sayomi noticed that the young woman had a very calming aura about her, despite looking so rigid. Idly the pregnant woman watched the demoness minty long braid sway with every movement. The water was turned on and off again before the ice maiden choose to speak again, "he always says goodbye, even if it's just a nod or a glimpse of him. He always makes sure you see him leave in his own way,". Yukina threw a smile over her shoulder, before rinsing off the last few dishes.

"I should have helped you," she realized with a start, that sometime in her heavy thinking the soft spoken ice maiden had taken her plate to the sink. Frowning, Sayomi wondered how she hadn't noticed before realizing that thoughts of the fire demon had consumed her thoughts. He left an itch in her mind she realized; even her visions were attuned to him.

"It's alright," a bright smile as Yukina washed her hands, "you're still new here. You can do the dishes from lunch or dinner if you like," cherry eyes focused on her, studying her clothes and face. "Do you wish for me to show you to you're room while you are with us?". The ice maiden noticed that the seer dressed simply, carrying nothing with her. She wondered where exactly from Demon World she'd come from, but she'd learned long ago not to pry and simply kept her questions to herself.

Nodding, Sayomi gave the demoness a small smile. It had been a long time since she'd met anyone new that wouldn't either fuck her or she was forced into living with, and while she was being forced to live with Yukina, she felt like the young women would be a pleasurable companion. The silver eyed woman twisted her hair away from her face, before speaking, "I hope we can be friends while I am here," bowing once more, "I am grateful that you will take me in," straightening back up.

"Thank Genkai when she decides to join us again," Yukina smiled back, turning towards the same door both Genkai and Hiei had headed out, "I'll show you your room, it's right next to mine if you require anything," they were walking. The ice maiden's voice was calming as they headed through the halls, "the bathroom is only across the hall, quite convenient," they'd come to a stop in front of two different doors. "This one is mine," a slender hand pointed towards the right door, "and this room will be your's," the hand changed direction towards the door n the left. There were many doors along the wall, showing access to many rooms; while the only door on the other side seemed to house the bathroom.

The temple seemed larger the more she seen of it, Sayomi noticed. Yukina left her to explore her own room in silence, stating that she was off to do laundry and air out some of the rooms. When the pregnant woman had expressed interest in aiding the other woman, she'd simply told her to stay and relax. Get settled in. She'd come around and collect her around lunch time; the baths were open to her use whenever she wanted.

Sayomi slide to the floor inside of her room as soon as the door had shut, her back resting the sliding door roughly. Her body felt weak from both the journey through Demon World to the temple and the unborn son inside of her. The more time they'd sat at breakfast, the more the son had reached out for his father's energy, which in turn caused Hiei to retract his own energy inside of himself even more. It seemed the real reason the fire demon had got up so abruptly was to flee from their son's hunger. The son inside of her seemed to have an insatiable hunger for energy.

"You are a little monster," smiling softly, she allowed her head to rest back against the door. Delicate fingers traced circles along her abdomen. There was no need for her to examine her room; it would be better accommodations than the brothel and at least they'd be safe. The futon would be only her's and while the temple may get cold, she didn't believe anyone would let her freeze. This place would be a good place to birth her son, she decided. Safe and out of the way. No one would recognize her here. No one would realize she'd left the brothel. Her master was locked away. There would be no punishment.

Sayomi flashed her perfectly white teeth bigger despite her tiredness; her son would be safe.

* * *

"I'm not going to judge you," the old woman was balancing perfectly atop one of many Buddhist statues that littered her yard before the forest. A cup of tea was nestled in her withered hands, the tea kettle resting atop her knee. The afternoon breeze fluttered the faded pink hair in the wink, before one eye cracked open to glare at him, "Are you even listening dimwit?," her voice came out a growl.

"Hn," the fire demon warmed the breeze that nestled around them out of respect for Genkai. She didn't thank him and he didn't expect it. His cherry eyes watched her from the corner of his eyes. He'd joined her shortly after breakfast, sitting in his customary pose; right knee to the chest, left leg straight, while his forearms rested on his knee. Cherry eyes had stared out at the forest; his chest resting on his forearms as he continued to think over the choices that had brought him here. Genkai's was a safe place. Mokuro would never find out.

"I don't know whose stupider, Yusuke or you," a sigh escaped her lips before she leaped from her spot atop the Buddhist head. She landed in the grass in front of Hiei, tea cup still perfectly in hand and the kettle held in the other. One sip later, the older lady sent him a glare, before heading inside, "Yukina usually has lunch prepared by now," her voice hinted that he should come inside, but the fire demon choose to ignore it.

It was time to leave he figured. By his calculations, Mokuro should be heading back to the fortress by then and it was unusual that he spend more than a day or two in Human World. He'd already been gone for quite a while, between the time it took to reach the brothel and then head to Genkai's. Sighing the fire demon wondered why he even came back to Human World. His sister was happy and safe; she didn't need his protection here. No one wished to harm her, but a small part of him couldn't help but to look in on her every now and then. Finding her had been his goal for so long that there was no way he could completely remove her from his life. It comforted him to see her.

"Goodbye Hiei!," the voice of his sister called out to him, as he headed for the forest. His footsteps had froze midair, before he turned a little to see one last glimpse of her before he headed back to Demon World. It never ceased to amaze him that she always caught him sneaking back. The ice maiden always had to see him as he left; he refused to think that he purposely left in ways to allow her to see him. Her hand was upraised in a wave, her other delicate hand cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice. A smile light up her face, the breeze lightly blowing her hair away from her face.

Hiei always implanted these memories of her deep in his mind; she was all that he had left of his heritage.

A trace of silver caught his attention, before he completely disappeared in a flash of black. The woman, Sayomi, his mind supplied, was standing in the doorway. Her beautiful body leaned against the door frame, her silver eyes following his movements. Her arms had been crossed over her chest, but when she caught notice of him, one small hand raised a little in goodbye, a small smile crossing her face, before she turned inside.

Yukina was right, Hiei always said goodbye in his own way.

* * *

This is one of those times I wish I could draw, lol. Well I updated again! Yay! :D I hope everyone enjoys this. I'm mostly still sticking to weekly updates. It's a weird schedule. I don't have a set day, but at least one a week in the plan.

Until next time!


	7. Arc I: Heat

Word Count: 4976

I own nothing, but Sayomi.

* * *

" _You taste like fire," the voice was one she knew well. It had spoken to her many times over the years, sometimes full of praise, other times with anger. Memories slipped through her mind, hundreds of years summarizing across her brain in an endless loop. One memory caught, causing the flashes to come to a screeching halt._

" _So it's come to this," her master stood in front of her. Arms crossed over a broad chest. A bearded face stared her down. His voice bellowed across the hall; both quiet and loud at the same time. Barely concealed rage spoke volumes to her; she'd been with her master for centuries. It was easy to hear it in his voice._

" _You didn't give me a choice, Master," she felt cold. The thick black kimono with golden cranes she'd chosen that morning did nothing to keep the cold settling deep within her bones away. "All those people..." her voice tampered off, her eyes resting at her master's feet._

" _You will be punished for this," the look of hatred flashed across her master's face. She'd seen it many times directed at other's, but never at her. She'd been her Master's most loyal and favorite servant for many many years. There had never been any trace of disobedience on her part._

 _Until now, that is._

" _I understand, Master," she bowed low, her long hair falling around her face. Two men led her away; they'd argued over staying to protect their master, but he'd only told them it was too late._

 _They were coming for him and for once he'd had no way to correct it or flee._

 _His ace in the hole had refused to tell him of the rebellion at his feet._

 _But he had his revenge, a sneer lighting up his face as he sent the seer to the brothel deep in Demon World._

* * *

Shaking her head, the woman tried to stomach the rice in front of her. It wasn't that the food wasn't delicious, in fact everything Yukina made was delicious, but her dreams since arriving at the temple nearly three weeks before had kept her wide awake at night. Many times during the night, she'd awake to dreams of her Master. Once he'd been a fair man to her, but in recent years he'd been cruel. Recent years he had destroyed the trust Sayomi had given him. The seer let out a sigh, feeling the child within her belly surge his own energy out.

"Do you miss your homeland, Sayomi?," cherry red eyes were wide with concern. Yukina looked worried across the table, her own rice set aside. The ice maiden was like this often, her own worries for the other woman distracting her. Ever since Sayomi had come to the temple, the demoness had tried to make her feel welcome.

"I do not," she pushed the food around her plate. A face stirred in her rice, a beard maybe, or a nose; she quickly scratched at her rice with her chop sticks, trying to erase it from her mind. "I just have been sleeping poorly," Sayomi sent a weak smile towards the other woman.

"Is your futon comfortable?," the minty haired woman's brow wrinkled in thought, "It's fairly new, but in your condition it may not be the most comfortable..." Yukina's eyes ghosted over where her unborn son grew, before returning to her face.

"She's pregnant, not disabled," the gruff voice of Genkai joined the conversation as the older woman joined both the conversation and the table. Usually the old psychic joined them at breakfast before the food was even finished cooking, but this morning she'd joined them late. Neither of them believed the old lady had awoken late, Genkai woke much earlier than either of them in fact, but rather she'd chosen to meditate longer outside before joining them. Her customary tea cup was in one hand, as she set her metal tea kettle down on the table.

"Still it must be uncomfortable to sleep when..," the ice maiden was already on her feet and making the old woman a plate as she spoke. This was another morning ritual; Yukina always made Genkai her plate.

"It's not the futon mattress," Sayomi cut in, her chopsticks forgotten beside her plate. "I've been having nightmares," she admitted truthfully. There was no harm she decided in telling the truth; she didn't have to tell them details about the nightmares.

"A cup of tea before bed may help," Genkai offered, reaching for her chopsticks. It was strange, Sayomi thought, that Genkai lived in a temple, but never even prayed over her food. The woman didn't seem religious, but then how could someone who knew about Spirit World be religious? She knew what would become of her soul once she passed over. Spirit World would sort her into a place based on her life's deeds, not how hard she practiced her religion or followed this god or that one.

"What are they about?," Yukina's soft voice drew her from her thoughts, concern etched across her face. She'd resumed eating, speaking only after she'd wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Things that don't really matter," she sighed again, her hands twisting in her lap. Sayomi had long ago learned that talking of her past unsettled her. While serving her master for so very long, hadn't made her unhappy, some of the things she had done had upset her greatly. Her job was always to protect her master, to watch the future for any threat on his life. She'd done it very well, nothing bad had happened to her master in centuries until she had chosen to allow it. The silver eyed woman had betrayed him on purpose, allowed his enemies to ensnare him within their traps. Maybe it was guilt that made the nightmares hit her, she didn't know.

"Obviously they matter or you wouldn't dream of them," the ice maiden had finished her food and was using the time to stare at her. Sayomi sighed again, feeling guilty that she was making the pretty girl worry. The other girl was her constant companion, showing her around the temple, keeping her company, and even helping her with her own chores.

"I haven't always had a life as easy as this one," tilting her head to the side, Sayomi smiled, allowing her eyes to shut briefly. Indeed it was an easy life so far here at Genkai's.

The day she'd arrived at the temple was an easy one. Genkai and Yukina had left her alone mostly to settle in, only calling her to come for lunch and dinner. It had been strange, Sayomi thought, but she wasn't upset, instead enjoying the peace. The journey to the old woman's temple had worn her out and it felt nice to relax. She hadn't expected to see Hiei again after breakfast; she had no great interest in searching him out and she highly doubted that he would come to her. It had made her happy to see him leave, a small part of herself realized. While she hadn't needed to see him, it comforted her that she had seen him depart for Demon World. The look they'd shared before she'd turned her back to head into the temple was a weird one; full of confusion on his part and understanding. Sayomi knew that she would have to raise their son alone, but the fire demon had done more than she'd expected.

The next morning, she'd been awoken by Yukina for breakfast. She'd helped her clean up, the two women going off to clean one of the temple's main rooms. Sayomi realized that on her own Genkai left most of the temple alone, shutting the rooms up. In the time she'd been there, they'd cleaned out a whole hallway. It was strange to be doing housework, but it kept them busy. Yukina told her in the spring, they gardened and spent most of their time outdoors, but now that fall had set in, it was mostly housework. The ice maiden didn't seem troubled by being indoors, keeping herself busy. They opened up rooms, taking the time to open up the windows, allowing the fall breeze to clear out the stale air and moth balls. The rooms would be dusted and swept, furniture dragged out into the hallway or even outside to be aired out. Once the walls and floors were clean, they'd be mopped, before any furniture was returned to the room.

The days went by quickly, the two women chatting as the day went on. In the time Sayomi had been at the temple, shed developed a liking for the ice maiden. She was easy company and never overstepped into things she didn't want to talk about. If a topic seemed closed for discussion, she chose to change the subject. The seer found herself allowing Yukina to chat about her friends in Human World, noticing that a 'Kazuma' was most often mentioned. Once the same Kazuma had called and spoken with the ice maiden for hours until the ice maiden was yawning, her eyes growing tired. The biggest smile had blossomed across the ice maiden's face when she'd hung up. Genkai had rolled her eyes, muttering something about ordering take out.

It was better than living at the brothel Sayomi decided.

"Sayomi, would you like to accompany me into town today?," Yukina asked her the day after they'd talked about her nightmares. The seer had awoke later than normal, her nightmares in full force. She felt drained, her son's appetite for her energy large as ever. It wasn't enough she noticed, no matter what how much she gave him, he always took more. She found herself eating more than she ever had, even going back for thirds of Yukina's cooking. "I need to pick up groceries," she explained, when Sayomi's eyebrows had raised in question.

"We hadn't intended on a house guest," Genkai explained, before snorting, "you eat nearly as much as Kuwabara does when he comes," she rolled her eyes in Sayomi's direction. This morning, along with her customary cup of tea, a pipe full of tobacco rested in her free hand. Sayomi hadn't seen her smoke it before, watching curiously as the physic blew smoke into the air.

"Please excuse Genkai, she isn't used to changing her habits," frowning in apology, the ice maiden sent a reproachful look at the temple's owner. Sayomi had seen the smallest of eye rolls from the ice maiden when Genkai had pulled out the pipe; clearly the other girl didn't approve.

"Let an old woman have her habits," growling Genkai blew smoke in Yukina's direction, before packing her pipe with more tobacco again. A scowl was etched across her wrinkled face, faded pink eyes glaring at both women, daring them to outright tell her put away her pipe.

"That's not good for you," smiling a little Sayomi added, "you'd be an even older woman if you didn't smoke," the glare sent her way was cold. Giggling a little, the seer dug into her plate, using it as an excuse to avoid the glare sent her way. She noticed Yukina send her a small nod, before returning to her own plate as well.

"Be off with both of you," the old woman grumbled, her hands gesturing quite rudely towards the door as she stood up to dump her own finished plate into the sink in aggravation. Faded pink hair twirled as she turned on her heel, a large cloud of smoke being Genkai's goodbye to the two women. The door slide shut hard.

"What time did you wish to leave?," Sayomi questioned, her silver eyes holding mirth. Genkai was cranky sometimes, today seemed to be one of those days. Suddenly Yukina's idea to leave the temple seemed more of an escape from the grumpy old lady than a need for groceries.

"After we clean up from breakfast. It's quite a walk," her nose scrunched up in worry, "roughly an hour," Yukina's eyes got big in worry, her head tilting in question, "you don't mind do you? It won't be too difficult for you?,". The ice maiden had noticed how quickly the other woman tired, noticing the other's energy through out the day diminish much faster than a normal woman's energy. In fact she kept an eye out not to overwork Sayomi.

"You heard Genkai," the half mock glare she sent Yukina was accompanied by a quick movement of her head towards the doorway, "I'm pregnant, not disabled," a wink ended the discussion, before she gracefully stood, gathering the dishes in her hands. Idly the seer noticed she'd begun to develop a callus on her right hand from sweeping and mopping out the rooms of the temple. It'd been such a long time since she'd done any real work besides allowing a man to take possession of her body; she found she liked working. Maybe once she had her son, she'd look for a job cleaning or as a maid.

"I know," Yukina joined her at the sink, gently placing her own dishes in the sink, "I just worry, your baby takes up so much of your energy though," worry laced her voice, "I remember how exhausted the women of my home was when they were expecting," the ice maiden was already turning to clean the rest of the kitchen.

"It's just so bad because his father isn't around to give energy towards the development of his core," turning the water on, she scrubbed at a frying. It didn't distract her from the images of Hiei that flooded her mind. Through out her days, she tried not to think about him, not to wonder what he was doing. But like fire, he scorched her mind, left a burning memory. Slightly tanned skin sliding across her own smooth pale skin; her pink nipples pushed up against his muscle defined chest. Rough calloused hands leaving bruises across her hips. Cherry red eyes full of at times passion and towards the end guilt staring deep into her silver ones.

She dropped the frying pan, water splashing across her forearms and the back wall behind the sink. _A vision of Hiei hit her strong: they were in the temple, his strong tanned torso was bare, his strong arms carrying her, one hand beneath her knees and the other behind her back. Her long black hair tangled in his fingers, her face resting against his chest; blood splattered across her face and his. Her heavily pregnant belly was obvious under her green shirt. His black pants were in tatters, his walking slow and obviously pained him. He grimaced with each step, discomfort flittering across his face. Her own feet hung bare and limp, indicating she was sleeping, one toe dripped blood onto Genkai's wooden floors._

"Sayomi are you alright?," Yukina's voice had raised a few octaves in fright, the ice maiden's cold hands touching her forearm and forehead in warning. Sayomi's hands half rested in the sink, finger tips trailing the hot soupy hot water, shaking uncontrollably. Shaking herself once, she slowly raised her eyes to meet the cherry eyes of the other girl, the exact shade of the man that haunted her mind.

"I just," trailing off, she picked the pan up again, putting on a false smile for the other woman, "scared myself," she held up the pan, returning to scrubbing it, "ever since I got pregnant, I've just been so clumsy," she shook her head, keeping the fake smile across her face. "I'm fine, promise,".

"Well when you're done the dishes, I'll be outside waiting," the ice maiden gave her a smile, the edges faltering. Yukina was a very kind woman, Sayomi realized, to worry about her so. The ice maiden left the kitchen, casting one look in worry over her shoulder as if to be sure the former brothel girl would be fine in her absence before she left. She didn't slide the door shut, just in case.

Sayomi finished the frying pan before leaning heavily on the counter for a moment, her hands fisted into the fabric of her kimono. Was this place as safe as she had first hoped? Her mind was raging, jumping from one emotion to the next. What was going on? Where had the blood come from? Her mind mulled over the options; a bead of sweat running down the back of her neck, a side effect of the vision. Sighing, she tried to calm her racing heartbeat. The child within her had flared his energy; it raged like a small fire in her abdomen and she rose her own energy to calm the small fire. Her son devoured it and suddenly she felt tired, but calmer. In her vision the bulge of her abdomen that was to be her son looked safe, unharmed from whatever had happened to her. He was still safe. She forced herself to take a few calming breaths, pulling the image of her abdomen being basically untouched by the blood into her mind. It was okay. Her son was safe. His safety hadn't been compromised by whatever attack on her person.

And now that she'd seen it, she could take measures to avoid it. That had been Sayomi's job in the past; avoid the danger. Perceive the danger and take steps to avoid the disaster from befalling them all. That's why there had never been an attack on her master, not a successful one at least. Now she could do the same for her son; keep him safe. Blowing a strand of her long black hair form her face, she took the time to tie it up, her silver eyes flashing as she searched the future of the day, ensuring the outing with Yukina would be a safe one.

When she was fully satisfied that nothing bad would happen to them, she finished doing the dishes and headed out to meet Yukina.

When it came to the safety of her son, nothing would stop her from protecting him.

* * *

The trip to town at the base of the mountain was in fact a much longer walk than Yukina had said. When they'd left it had still been early morning, but the former brothel woman realized it had to have been nearing noon when they finally walked into the market. The town itself was quite modern, electrical poles lined the streets, cars parked along curbs. From halfway down Genkai's mountain, railroad tracks had been seen. The train station was near the entrance to the town back towards Genkai's. Little shops lined the main street of the town, people walking through, a few kids on bikes played down a side street. Sayomi noticed that no one wore kimono, but them and few older people. Most people wore jeans or skirts, one man wore a business suit. Her silver eyes took in the outfits, trying to remember how long it had been since she had worn anything but a kimono. Years, she realized with a sigh, suddenly feeling out of place. But she held her head high, it may have been a long time and kimonos weren't exactly every day wear, but they were still common enough for it to not be too out of place. She enjoyed the sights and smells, keeping close eye on the other girl as to not lose her on the busy streets. It had been so long since she'd mingled in a crowd, since she'd been with every day people.

Yukina clearly was accustomed to coming to the town, gliding through the crowds easily. The ice demon turned the heads of many with her unusual hair and strikingly red eyes, but she paid them no mind. The former whore noticed some men looking at her as well, but like the ice demon paid them no mind. The men didn't interest her. She'd had enough of men for a very long time.

"Would you like to look at some clothes?," Yukina had raised her voice to be heard over the crowd. They'd stopped in front of a little shop; the display showing off mannequins with tights jeans and floral printed shirts. The ice maiden's eyes showed longing and delight, and Sayomi decided to make the other girl happy they'd go in.

"Before moving to Human World, I only wore kimono," the ice maiden was looking at a knee length skirt, a small smile on her face, "sometimes I wear normal," she pitched her voice lower, "clothing to fit in with humans, but I didn't today," her voice trailed off a little and Sayomi realized that Yukina had worn a kimono so she wouldn't feel out of place among humans in normal attire. Once again struck by the kindness of the ice maiden, she smiled real big for the other girl.

"That would look nice on you," she commented, her own delicate hands reaching for a shirt. Before when Sayomi had lived under her master, she'd been given certain privileges to buy what she wanted. Looking back it had been a gracious arrangement; she'd had an allowance to follow, but she remembered coming to Human World to buy clothes. While she had still worn kimono, she had always liked jeans, not the ripped up kind that some females liked, but nice tailored ones. Dresses had always been something she enjoyed as well, feeling as though they were less restrictive than a kimono. Sighing , she wished she had her own money to buy things.

"I shouldn't," Yukina's watched her noticing the shirt Sayomi had reached for, "you only have the kimono that you came to us in," the ice maiden nodded, before smiling again, "why don't you get some clothing? Hiei left money with Genkai and I for those kind of things," the smile slipped a little. Yukina hadn't meant for that to slip out as it had, her lips forming a little 'o'.

"Hiei left money for me?," the look on her face was one of shock and disbelief, red tinting her cheeks and the tips of her ears. She hadn't expected that, but then she realized the fire demon must have not expected Genkai to house her for nothing. Her brow furthered in thought, surprised at Hiei's generosity. She hadn't inquired for him to provide her with money, but then again what else did she had to her name? Nothing but a kimono and the child within her.

"I wasn't going to mention it, I'm sorry," the demon girl looked embarrassed, looking off to the side, "Genkai would have taken you in regardless of the money, but he sent it in case," she looked the silver eyed woman up and down, gesturing to her kimono, "since you don't have much...". Trailing off, Yukina smiled a little at Sayomi, her hands clasped in front of her.

"He didn't have to do that," she found herself saying. It left a bad taste in her mouth, Hiei doing things for her. Just because she was pregnant with his child, didn't mean he had to give her money. She hadn't expected all he had already done for her. The seer had honestly never believed he would he as much as he had. Her best expectation of the situation had been him providing for their son, leaving her to waste away in the brothel. But instead he'd freed her from that terrible place and given her a safe haven. And now was providing her with an income to live off. His response to the situation had been better than she had ever hoped, even if he had wanted to abort their child at first.

"Hiei is honorable," Yukina defended the fire demon, her eyes meeting Sayomi's. Obviously the ice demon held the fire demon in high regards, "he's always been kind to me, I believe he is trying to be kind to you as well, Sayomi," red eyes drifted to Sayomi's abdomen, before she smiled and her eyes closed.

"I think so too," she murmured a few minutes later. Hiei may have wanted to abort their child and while that may have made her very angry (she was still slightly angry about it), at least he was attempting to do the right thing now. Sayomi knew that he had no grand notions of being a part of their son's life, and in the end that didn't bother her, she could raise the boy alone, but at least the fire demon was setting them up to have a chance. He was taking a small bit of responsibility for his part in her pregnancy. Getting pregnant took two people after all.

Sayomi was rewarded with a small smile from Yukina, the ice maiden had a beautiful smile, like freshly laid snow she thought. The idea that Yukina knew who fathered her baby, fluttered across her mind, but she knew the ice demon would never actually ask of the subject unless she mentioned it first. Thankfully Yukina wasn't one to pry; keeping her thoughts to herself.

"I'll have to thank him," she cast a sideways glance at the other girl, showing off her own gleaming smile.

The rest of the early afternoon was spent shopping. Sayomi did in fact get clothes; shirts ranging in several colors, all cut two or three sizes bigger. She hadn't gotten any jeans, but instead opted for skirts with stretch bands that she could wear under her stomach when it expanded. Getting underwear had been Sayomi's number one priority once she'd decided to actually purchase clothing. She didn't believe in bras, from centuries of wearing kimonos; she'd never even worn a bra but once or twice. But underwear was something she had missed very much living at the brothel; underneath the kimono was nothing, no under garments or anything. Easy access, a man had once remarked to her before hiking her kimono up around her hips, a large toothy grin across his ugly green face.

After they'd spent nearly an hour or so shopping through clothes, it hadn't been easy finding things that would still be wearable long into her pregnancy, but when they were finally done Sayomi was already worn out. Her body hurt her; her lower back aching, while her feet felt sore. The walk had been enough. And while she may have only a little over three months along, the development of her son's core took so much of her energy that she felt like she'd run a marathon multiple times, the back of her neck moist with a light coating of sweat.

"We can take a cab back to the temple," the icy hand felt cool against her arm, gently leading her to a bench. The two women sat on the bench for a few minutes, the shopping bags between them on the ground. "The butcher shop is the last shop," the ice maiden's face fell a little at her own words, sadness settling across her features. While she may enjoy the taste of meat, her soul was gentle enough that the thought of killing animals caused her sadness. "I should have waited until Kazuma could accompany us," Yukina added as an afterthought, "I apologize,".

"It's okay, I'll be fine if we take a cab," allowing a smile to cross her features, Sayomi tried to breathe easy. The seer had nearly vomited earlier in the day, while it may have been fall, the weather was still warm enough to encourage her already unsettled stomach to be upset. The morning sickness had bothered her immensely so far in her pregnancy and she only hoped that it would lessen or go away completely soon. "May I wait here while you finish the shopping, please?," her voice wavered a little, her body twisting to dry heave over the side of the bench.

"I'll return quickly," Yukina gave her a few pats on the back, drawing a few escaping hairs that had chosen to cling around the seer's face back over her shoulder. Sayomi sent a weak smile over her shoulder towards the already departing ice maiden.

Yukina was an angel, she mindlessly thought, once again dry heaving over the pavement of the sidewalk.

A young couple sent her accusing glares, but only picked up their pace to speed by when she half heatedly glared back at them. Once the sickness had passed, the black haired woman leaned heavily against the back of the bench. Her body felt heavy, weak, and tired. The sunset had begun early, but she remembered that in Human world the day lengths went according to the seasons and a light breeze rustled the last leaves off a nearby tree. It wasn't long before a strange heat soared through her body, at first she felt warm, almost like she'd laid out in the sun too long, but then it developed into a raging wildfire across her body, beginning deep within her womb and spreading through her abdomen and limbs quickly. It wasn't long before sweat drops ran down her face.

She'd never been hot like this before, never had her body felt like it was on fire, her hair in a matter of what felt like seconds soaked completely through. Her son's aura bathed her own in fire, her skin beginning to turn pink and then slowly red. Rolling her kimono sleeves as far up her arm as she could did nothing, neither did sliding her shoes off. An autumn breeze rustled her long hair, but it only marginally cooled her down. Sayomi idly noticed her powder blue kimono become slick with sweat, her mind numbing to the heat. Panting like a dog, the woman tried to feed her son more of her energy, noticing that he craved none of it. His aura was all consuming and drained her until she had nothing more to give him.

Sayomi sank into the scorching flames of hell.

* * *

Okay I am sorry that this took forever to get out! I've spent a week agonizing over this honestly. This chapter was needed, badly, but I could not for the life of me actually like it. :( Sorry everyone.


	8. Arc I: Cores

Word Count: 6196

Release date:3-6-2016

I own nothing!

* * *

Death always felt like home to Hiei.

Regardless of the way his life turned out the fire demon always returned to killing. Even now that he was to be mated to Mukuro, Lord of Alaric, a blade held tight in his calloused palms striking down an enemy still brought him his greatest joy. It wasn't that Mukuro didn't make him content -he wouldn't say happy, but he was never happy- but more that killing fulfilled his life purpose. That's all he was ever good for, he'd fought for years to earn his status, to be more powerful. He'd become the cursed one his mother's people had feared; they were lucky he didn't go back and kill every last one of them.

But that would upset Yukina.

Silver gleamed like sunlight in the early morning, the blade faltering for only a moment as thoughts of Yukina burst into his mind, before he cleaved the head off a low level demon. Quickly he turned, lessening the blood splatter onto his slightly tanned face. Leaping through the air, he landed a top a high branch to survey the carnage below.

Low level demons fought amongst themselves, pieces of flesh being torn, the green of the forest now littered with the red of blood and muscle. A slight smirk crossed his face, his eyes going wide. It'd been a while since he'd been able to fight, to feel the death of enemies. Ever since the tournament, things had been far too peaceful in Demon World, but for some time some low level demons had been causing trouble (they were the ones suspected of actually causing the border dispute between Yomi and Mokuro) and the order to exterminate every last one of them had finally been given.

The fire demon had chosen to go alone; Mokuro had simply shook her head, rolling her eyes, before approving it.

While she may have enjoyed the peace the tournament brought, she knew her mate to be did not.

"Don't do anything stupid," sitting atop her bed, arms spread wide she'd told him, eye suddenly serious. The large false eye clung to the fire demon's small form like a glove, before the powerful demoness gave him a small smile and a nod, "I'd hate trying to find a good fuck," a chuckle escaped her ruined lips.

"You wouldn't be able to find another fuck like me," his smirk had grown, before he'd used the jagan to send her images of their couplings. Hiei flashed away in a haze of black, out the window to fight.

It would be a long few hours he decided, if he chose to do this the hard way. None of these demons posed any threat to him, but like always their numbers were great. It was tedious work, but the fire demon wanted to fight them on his terms, give him a chance to flex his muscles. Slinging his sword once to cleanse the metal of blood, he jumped back into the fray.

There would be no need for the dragon.

There was nothing in his face of his mother's. Nothing at all, but her eyes. Hiei stared deep into the eyes of his reflection, before quickly splashing it away. For some reason even now he felt angry, despite working all of his anger away. He'd become distracted in battle, both Yukina and Mokuro flashing through his mind in great bursts. Once upon a time that would have never happened. He'd always been able to concentrate on a fight, bring it to the front of his mind. Distractions caused mistakes and mistakes meant death.

Rinsing the blood from his hands was done quickly, before his cherry eyes surveyed the death that settled around the river. Each body was pushing daisies, the grass underneath stained crimson. Ruts from bodies being pushed, skin torn from faces, bones jutting through skin. Innards twisted around fingers, the owner of the body obviously tried to shove them back inside their body, but to no avail. Smirking the fire demon sat along the edge of the river, allowing his feet to hang into the river.

This was what he was good for. Letting lose a small breathe, he brooded over his reflection.

Once again he was caught by his mother's eyes, choosing to think of her again. He'd never met the woman, but the few moments she held him after his birth. From what he'd learned, she'd held him once, before he had been taken from her. One of the elder women had wrapped him in those seals to prevent his fire from melting the skin off anyone who held him, even though he hadn't burned his own mother. His mother had barely been strong enough to push Yukina into the world; her soul had slipped from her body after shedding Yukina's tear. In fact from what he'd seen in Rui's mind, his sister had nearly fell from his mother's arms, but Rui had caught his sister from landing on her skull.

Maybe that was why he hadn't killed Rui, he wondered, brow furrowed in thought. Despite being the woman to throw him into the abyss of Demon World, she'd dived to save his sister from falling on her head as a newborn. His mother's people were cold and cruel, a weak people, but his mother had not been. Hiei had a begrudging amount of respect for her; choosing to bring him into this world, despite knowing it would kill her.

An ice maiden didn't have the strength to build two cores alone.

In fact, most demons did not, but an ice maiden reproduced asexually, the female child being produced off the mother's energy and life force. Every hundred years after they reached two hundred years of age, at that time becoming mature, a child would be produced, feeding off the mother's energy to grow inside her womb. The child was always female, always an ice demon, and always followed after their mother. A male child was only produced if an ice maiden had relations with a male during her reproductive cycle and he always took after his father's nature, his own life force being too much for the mother to bare. She couldn't support the building of the cores for her daughter and the male child and there had been cases where a female ice maiden died before even giving birth, too weak to even give their children life.

But his mother had given her life to make sure her daughter and mistake son was given life.

Hiei knew all these things, having learned them from being conscious inside the womb. It was dark, tight, and through the amniotic sac, Yukina's cool aura had flashed against his own, her small fingers poking at his body. She'd been slightly bigger; their mother's body naturally giving her more energy. He'd been stronger though and even inside of their mother he could have killed her.

 _I wonder if he will be conscious in the womb like I was._

The stray thought ran across his mind, his teeth grounding in aggravation. _It_ was _it_ , not a son. That foolish whore couldn't know if it inside her womb was male or female. It was still too early. And even on some wild chance she was correct it did not matter, he would not love _it._ He could not care for _it_. He had already given it enough. It would be cared for by it's mother. If the fire demon had anything to say about _it_ , the child would never even know who his father was. _It's_ father, his mouth turned down into a sneer, a low growl escaping from his throat.

The only reason the fire demon had decided against aborting the child was because despite that reasoning he had to no ambition to be a father, the mother, Sayomi, wanted it. It reminded him of his mother in a way, she'd fought her whole pregnancy to supply his core with enough energy to form. She'd willingly given him a chance to live; the least he could do was do the same for the child within the whore.

He would be much like his own father, a figure to ponder over every now and then, but never involved. Hiei had never knew his father, much like it would never know him. The fire demon titled his head towards the sky, his mind full of possibilities, maybe he was more like his father then he'd previously thought. Both of them had knocked up a woman, neither of them had ever cared about their offspring.

 _Well_ , Hiei thought, I turned out alright without a father. _He- It will not need me._

* * *

The sunlight shown through the window, silver eyes shutting quickly from the blinding light. After another moment, she slowed cracked one eye open, the other following shortly behind. The room was warm, but not unreasonably so, the one window cracked slightly to allowed the fall breeze to blow through. Smells of musty leaves and morning showers ran through her nose. Slowly, she sat up to peak out the window; obviously earlier in the day or even in the night it had rained, but now the son shone brightly.

Sayomi felt comfortable, nothing like before. Straining her thoughts the former whore couldn't remember how she had ended up back in her room at the temple. The last memory she had was her body on fire, sweat pouring down her skin, before falling into a hell like state. It had been miserable and painful. Upon closer inspection she noticed that along her forearms, spots of skin looked burned, like she'd placed her arm into a campfire. Rolling up her cotton pant legs (who had dressed her?) revealed burns of the same nature; some were worse than others. In a few places blisters had formed. Sighing she lifted her shirt over her baby bump anxiously; she was happy to discover that her abdomen sported no burn marks or blisters but perfectly smooth skin.

Her slightly burned fingertips rubbed circles along her belly, choosing to stop her inspection of her own body. The burns would heal. Her son's aura sprung to life at her touch, a warm feeling floating through her. It was nothing like the burning pain from before, but soothing. Something in her son's aura spoke of apology and she wondered if the burning pain from before was from him.

A loud crash stirred her from her thoughts, a curse being bellowed before her door slide open rather loudly, "I'm sorry if I woke you!," a man stood in the door way, one large rough hand on the door way, the other scratching the back of his head nervously. He was broad and tall, reminding Sayomi of a foreigner with copper colored curly hair styled much like Elvis' had been in the fifties. His face wasn't a face that many would call handsome in a conventional sense, with a rather large nose and a sharp jawline, but it was a comforting face with an easy smile. He was nervously smiling at her now, his aura filling the room. His aura spoke volumes of him, comforting, stable, loyal. It was strong and obviously human.

"You didn't wake me," tilting her head to the side, she examined him closer. His eyes were small and brown, but strangely kind. A broad muscular chest strained his blue shirt and he wore jeans; they were frayed at the bottom. He reminded her of a gentle giant. "I awoke a few minutes ago," brightly she showed off her white teeth, "I was only examining my burns," her face turned down a little, as she poked one finger at a particularly nasty burn on her left arm by her wrist. Frowning, she still wondered what had occurred for the burns to form along her pale skin like this.

"Yukina healed the worst ones," he grinned at her, his small eyes tracing the lines of burns along her arms. "She sent me to check on you," he explained, gesturing to himself and the door a little. The human, Sayomi noticed liked to talk not only with his loud deep voice, but his whole body. "She's got lunch ready if you're hungry!," he smiled real big at her again and her stomach chose that moment to growl. "Well that settles it! Let's go get some grub!," he slide the door shut without waiting on an answer, before albeit muffled half shouted through the door, "I'll wait right out here for you to get dressed."

Shaking her head, a small smile on her face, Sayomi choose to get dressed. She thought about staying in the obviously sleeping clothes, but chose to change when she seen the shopping bags from their trip to the town at the bottom of Genkai's mountain in the corner of her room. Quickly the seer changed into a black skirt and a large green shirt, noticing that her body felt warmer than before. Pulling her long black hair into a bun on top of her head, she hoped to cool her body down. Sayomi was almost certain now that her son had caused the heat from before, noticing that her abdomen felt warmer than before the incident in town.

It felt strange to her to be wearing regular clothes. A week after she'd been brought to the temple, she'd found a tall old mirror with wooden edges in one of the rooms they'd cleaned out; Genkai had permitted her to use it. Using the mirror now, she observed her body in greater detail, pulling the fabric of her shirt under her breasts to examine her baby bump from all angles. Her skin was smooth, no stretch marks yet. Her son was still so small and she frowned wondering if he was healthy. He certainly seemed healthy enough. It's just a mother's worry, she sighed, allowing her shirt to fall back over her baby bump. Tucking a loose strand out of her face, she thought of the night she met Hiei, her hair had been in a similar fashion.

Sayomi wondered how he was doing in Demon World. She had already come to the conclusion that he wouldn't be in their son's life, but the seer wondered if he would at least check up on them time to time. In a weird way she wished he would be there, if only to make creating their son's core a little easier on her. Feeding their son wasn't a task she couldn't complete, but the mother to be did wish Hiei would help. And as she thought about it, she wished that he would at least want part of their son's life. From her visions their son would take after his father.

"Are you okay?,"the knock at the door once again pulled her from her thoughts. The tall man on the other side of the door seemed worried, his aura sweeping over her in comfort.

"I am coming," she called, choosing to turn away from her reflection. Her own silver eyes caught her reflections once, absentmindedly as she turned she caught the briefest of glimpses of her body profile sideways, her baby bump clearly on display. Sayomi looked healthy, happy.

The human turned out to be Kuwabara Kazuma, the same human that often called and talked to Yukina late into the night. He'd come running when Yukina had called him from a pay phone nearby when she'd found Sayomi laying out across the bench unconscious; the seer didn't even remember laying flat across the bench. Burns had appeared across her skin, some blistering and festering, the air around her skin steaming.

Apparently her son was burning her from the inside.

"I am sorry, Yukina," Sayomi looked at the ice maiden's hands, noticing the red and angry marks across her palms, long red streaks of red running up the pale icy skin of the other girl, "I am sorry he burned you,". Yukina stretched her hand across the table to rest on her own, a small smile blossoming across her face. The fact that the ice maiden had willingly healed her, being burned in the process made guilt blossom across her chest like a flower in spring. The other girl was always so kind to her.

"He did not mean it," the ice maiden patted her hand once, "once I started healing you, his aura relaxed," the ice maiden's eyes traced her abdomen once, before coming to meet her face, "his aura was fading, it seems he'd taken too much from you, so I fed him some of my demon energy and he took it happily. Once he seemed full, your body drastically dropped in temperature, the burns cooling instantly," her features wrinkled in thought.

"You didn't mention to us that your own energy wasn't fully demon," Genkai spoke then, her faded eyes staring the pair down. She hadn't spoken since lunch had began, simply nodding at Sayomi and Kuwabara once they'd joined the table. Her voice held suspicious and surprise; the seer felt slightly guilty for not mentioning it, but she didn't know it wouldn't matter.

"I did not think it mattered," she sighed, moving her chop sticks around her plate. It had not occurred to her that the type of energy she had would impact the unborn child within her. And now that she knew that her son needed demonic energy to survive; she would have to find some way to get it. Maybe if she contacted Hiei, he would come?

"It does not bother us," Yukina said softly, "that you are a half demon," a rustle of fabric was the only sound as Yukina moved closer to touch her arm. "We know a few half demons and humans, and people that are something in between,". Her hand felt cool on the seer's arm and she momentarily enjoyed the touch.

"Yeah! Urameshi is some kind of demon hybrid and as for Kurama," Kuwabara boasted loudly, trailing off towards the end, his eyes held mirth as he jabbed his chopsticks at her. Despite it being a rude gesture, Sayomi didn't think he meant it that was, once again the human talked with his whole body, "is some kind of demon soul in a human body, so trust me a half demon is nothing weird 'round here!," he gave her a bright smile.

"Regardless, that is the reason you became feverish and burned, the child within needs more demon energy to build his core," rolling her eyes at Kuwabara, "Put the chopsticks down moron, that's rude!," snapping, the old lady turned her face back to Sayomi, eyes piercing, "if you have any way to contact that bastard's father I would, tell him to feed his child's core," she paused, a dark look passing over her features, her eyes growing a little sad, "or else his core will falter and the child will be born stillborn."

The room grew quiet, the only sounds of everyone breathing. Sayomi stared down in her lap, her burned fingers hurt as she twisted the fabric of her skirt in knots, she pressed her eyes shut hard, feeling tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She felt the beady eyes of Kuwabara on her, an aura of comfort covering her like a blanket. Cool fingers still lay on her arm in an attempt to calm her as well.

How was this fair? The child would be safe here, no dangers had been shown to her. The seer tried to force her mind on the fact that her child had been born alive in her visions, healthy. She'd have seen a stillborn child, wouldn't she? Her visions were already so attuned to her son, that the idea of losing him scared her. She'd already had to fight once for his right to come in to this world, would she have to beg Hiei to feed their son's core? Would he even care enough to come? Or would he simply allow the child to die inside of her womb; saying he had already done enough by giving it a chance?

Hiei was honorarable, Yukina had said. The fire demon was kind to Yukina, the ice demon said that he was trying to be kind to her as well. Did that mean he'd come? Was the fire demon really as honorable as the ice demon made him out to be? It wasn't a far stretch that the seer was slowly edging towards having a panic attack, her breathe began to become shallower, her thoughts becoming cloudy. Tremors were beginning to slide down her back, her hands shaking in the fabric of her skirt.

"If Sayomi can't contact the father," Sayomi's head snapped up at the sound of Yukina's carefully relaxed voice, "I will help her form the core of her child," looking over at the other woman, the ice maiden smiled wide.

"That may not work," Genkai began, her eyebrows wrinkling in thought, "usually only a child's parents can form a core, maybe an uncle or an aunt," the old woman cut off abruptly, her eyes going wide in realization. Shuffling her hands around the tea cup, the old woman looked torn, before her eyes slide shut gently and she sipped on her tea.

"That's true, but for some reason the child will feed off my energy," from the corner of her red eyes, Yukina looked at Sayomi, before focusing on Genkai. They were set in a determined stare, her hands coming to rest in her lap instead of Sayomi's arm.

"I don't understand why the baby won't just take her energy for his core thingy," the tall man asked, confusion across his face. The human obviously was lost in the conversation, unable to understand demon cores, since he had a heart. His beady eyes looked embarrassed to ask, as a small blush blossomed across his cheeks, one hand rubbing the back of his neck again, as he chose to look down at his plate.

"Because it's energy is demonic," the old lady huffed, sipping at her tea cup, "her's is not. She can not build a demonic core alone without demon energy, her own energy may be the main energy source," her eyes seemed to be staring into Sayomi's soul as her aura brushed over the seer, inspecting, watching, "but his father's demon energy needs to be there to finish building it, the child is a mostly a demon after all," another sip and then a smirk sent over her tea cup at the group, "and obviously the father is a very powerful fire demon to be able to produce such strong offspring,".

Kuwabara's eyes shifted in suspicion, his own aura replacing Genkai's over Sayomi's very soul. The tingling at the back of her neck intensified and the seer wondered what the human was looking for exactly. Her near blown panic attacked had faded a little; her body still shook, but her breathing came more evenly now. The comfort in the human's orange aura filled her completely, slowly but surely causing the tremors in her body to fade, every muscle to completely relax. Even the child in her womb calmed, his own aura touching Kuwabara's gently. It felt almost inquisitive as carefully separated the energies inside her body. Her son's aura jumped a little, when their energy became separated, a cold feeling pulling in her bones, before the child -oh he was ruthless- tore through the human's aura to latch back on to her's, once again again feeding on her. It was as if they were one being, Sayomi noted; their energy mingled in such a way that it was difficult to notice the differences.

"Well," the human muttered, his eyes staring deep into Sayomi's abdomen, his face scrunched up in conversation, "that little midget," his right hand went under his chin, a grin appearing on his face. Kuwabara grinned larger after a moment, before withdrawing his aura from the seer's body.

"Care to share with the rest of us, Kuwabara?," growling, Genkai raised an eyebrow in wonder. It seemed as time had passed, Kuwabara's sense had outclassed her own. Was the way time worked, she guessed.

"Maybe Hiei's a real man after all," looking up from his plate, his grin only grew in size.

"I could have told you that," Sayomi giggled a little, rolling her eyes. The human seemed so astounded at the realization that the fire demon was her son's sire. Momentarily her demeanor straightened, her face becoming serious, her silver eyes found his. "Please do n-," she began quickly, realizing her mistake in admitting to Kuwabara and the whole table in that Hiei was the father of her child. It was suppose to be a secret.

"It's not a big deal," he shrugged, cutting her off before she could utter another word, returning to the food on his plate once again. His aura brushed her's briefly; he had no ideas of ever bringing it up again. There was no reason for him too; unless Hiei made a choice to make something of the matter, it wasn't something he would ever bring up in conversation. There was something else in his aura as it brushed her's that alarmed Sayomi, a meaning or maybe it was a promise that they would talk later. Something that seemed personal.

The rest of breakfast was a quiet affair, no one really wanting to speak with the threat that hung over all of them. Sayomi knew she couldn't contact the fire demon. He'd wanted to be left alone. It was clear when he left that a father he was not, he had no fantasy ideas of ever claiming the child as his own. No, he'd done what he could by giving her a place to stay and while he may come to feed their son, the idea left an even more sour taste in her mouth. He'd already sent her money, given her a safe place, even bought her brothel contract, so she'd be a free woman even after their son was born. The idea of uprooting his life, the life with his mate upset her. He hadn't asked to be a father, much like she hadn't asked to be a mother.

The only difference was that Hiei did not want a child, while she craved one so desperately that now that one was already on the way there was no way she could ever let him go. Sayomi never had the chance to live a normal life, have a family, love someone, anyone for that matter. Her whole life had been serving her master, and while that had made her content, now she wanted this. She wanted a son to raise and love, to give him the things she didn't remember ever having. And she was damn sure that she wouldn't let him die before he was given a life. But the guilt of uprooting Hiei's life filled her, causing a slight chill in her otherwise warm bones.

If the roles were reversed would she be willing to do as much for the child as Hiei had already done? Was it too much to ask him to come and feed the core of their son that grow within her? Yukina had already offered; it wasn't that big of a deal to allow it to continue was it? The ice maiden was willing, happy even to feed her energy to the core of her son; was it wrong in allowed her to do so? Or was it more like choosing to accept a gift?

Sayomi didn't know what was right and wrong in this situation.

She'd never had to step up and made such uninformed decisions. With her master it had been easy, she'd look into the future. Sometimes in the dead of the night he would awake her, ask her about a plan, give her all the details he wanted her to know and instruct her to look as far as she could, explore all roots of the future. There had been so many variables, but they'd all be abstract. If someone died on a battlefield; well as long as her master and her lived who cared? If someone lost their standing in the public office, what did it matter? Her master had been her only concern. Even her own bodily harm did not matter as long as her eyes could still serve her master. In the end she'd given him all the options each path offered and he'd make the choice, ultimately it was never her's.

The only other real decision she'd ever made was to betray him.

Sighing over her breakfast the seer, curled her long black hair around her left index finer, her right hand holding the chopsticks as she played with her food.

"Are you alright, Sayomi?," Yukina's large cherry eyes exaimed her once, the ice maiden's plate empty. With one quick, look the seer realized that they were the only two in the room, so immersed in her thoughts, she had not noticed the other occupants leave. "I know you are troubled by the news, but I believe everything will be okay in the end," the smile was tentative, but sweet.

"I just do not understand," sighing she slide her plate a little ways from her body. There was no point in forcing down anymore food, her queasy stomach was already beginning to show the first signs of rebelling. "I did not realize that my heritage would play a part in the forming of my son's core," the lie came easily from her pink lips, the guilt blossoming across her belly.

In truth, Sayomi hadn't thought about what she really was. True her body lived a long time without aging, but she wasn't a demon. Wasn't even half, and while she may have felt guilty for lying to Yukina and the other's, there could be no other reasoning that seemed logical without revealing where she had been before the brothel house. In all matters of fairness, the seer wasn't even sure what she was or who she had been before she had become her master's servant. But her body gave off spirit energy much like a human's. It hadn't occurred to her that they would believe she was half demon, but decided their reasoning made sense. Why else would she come from Demon World? Her son's aura mingled so thoroughly with her own, that there was no telling what kind of energy she did have.

It was best they believe the lie.

"It is not your fault," the voice was quiet and calm and without a fuss Yukina had snatched up her plate.

"I should be able to care for my son," her silver eyes drifted to the slight bump where he lay. Wasn't that a mother's job; to care and provide for her children? Could she not even do this simple task correctly?

"This was not an intended pregnancy, I believe," the confidence in the ice maiden's words struck her as odd, but then what else would it be? The minty haired girl had guessed correctly; this was not a planned pregnancy at all.

"No it was not, the father and I were a one time..." she struggled for the words to explain what exactly Hiei and her were. Rubbing her chin, absentmindedly, Sayomi realized it was almost like a fling. Or maybe those 'one night stands' as humans called it, except he'd paid a fee for fucking her that night. "We were a one night stand, it only happened once," sighing, she realized she almost sounded wistful. That she wanted to have another night with the father of her child, and while Hiei had been wonderful in bed, unlike most of the men who'd taken her to bed in the years she'd been with the brothel, it wasn't something she should want for. Hiei was to be mated and anyway it would never happen again.

"I understand," Yukina stood behind her, one cool hand resting on her shoulder. The touch was one of comfort, cooling down her heated body. Leaning back into the touch, she looked up towards the red eyes of the ice miaden once again shocked by how much they resembled the fire demon. They were the same exact color, and the same large wide shape, and roughly in the same place in their face. The two were of similar build she realized as she stared up at Yukina, both smaller in stature, both not very thick. An image clicked into place in her mind.

* * *

" _You will not say anything, do you understand you whore?," Hiei was bristling, his hands clenched in fists at his side. His anger washed off him in waves, cherry red eyes burning in rage._

 _They were outside the temple some place that much was clear, a stream bubbled off to the left, the early signs of flowers beginning to take form in an early spring. Despite the tingle the breeze caused as it brushed against her body, the fire demon wore nothing but a blue tank top shirt and black pants with three belts._

" _Why can she not know?," she stomped her foot in aggravation, the child within her womb lashing out angrily. "Yukina searches for you relentlessly!,"._

" _It does not concern you," his eyes flashed dangerously, "Keep your whore mouth out of this or else you won't be around to tell her," steam rose off his skin, a mirthless grin lighting up his face._

 _Fear leaped up from the bottom of her stomach to close her very throat._

* * *

"-omi! Sayomi, are you alright?," the ice maiden was shaking her shoulder, cold hands nearly sizzling over her heated skin. A look of pain briefly flashed across her face, before her both her hands rested on the seer's cheeks.

"I-" she clamped her lips shut, her eyes staring deep in the red ones that only seconds ago had scared her down to the core of her very soul. "I was not paying attnention, I am sorry," she closed her eyes briefly, focusing on the cool hands of her face to calm her racing heartbeat. "I keep thinking about the possibility of my son's care fading out..." quickly she lied, her visions being her a secret she choose to protect.

"I won't let that happen," at that moment, Yukina chose that moment to channel some of her energy into Sayomi's body, the little boy within her quickly gobbling it all up.

"I-" she paused, pulling Yukina's hands away from her face, "thank you, but I think he's had enough," she smiled brightly, her silver eyes taking in the ice maiden's facial features.

"You are welcome," Yukina smiled as well, before choosing her next words carefully, "I do believe the baby has a certain male undertone to him, maybe you are correct about it being a boy," her face was scrunched up in thought, pondering the aura of the child within the other woman. "Such a greedy little child," a slightly giggle escaped Yukina's lips as she covered it with the sleeve of her kimono.

"I think he'll be a boy," she smiled, feeling the heat slowly diminishing. Strange, when her son required demon energy he became hot, flooding her body with too much heat. Ever since she'd became pregnant, her body had ran hotter, and even though she still ran hotter after Yukina had given some of her energy to the boy, she didn't feel like she was on fire anymore.

"Either way the child will need a name," tilting her head up in thought, she seemed to be pondering name choices, "For a boy maybe 'Ryu' meaning dragon," her voice sounded suggestive, a smile light up her face, red cherry eyes growing wide, "Or for a girl 'Yuki'!,". Sayomi found she liked when Yukina was happy like this. She knew the minty haired girl was trying to distract her from the thought of her son being to weak to even make it outside of the womb, and she used the talk of names to push through the dark murky thoughts of death clouding her mind.

"I highly doubt it will be a girl, but why do you think I should name her 'princess'?" her mind focused on that tibit, the idea of naming her son dragon not sitting well with her. She frowned for a moment; the idea for a name had never really came to mind before. While she knew in some small part of her brain that she would have to eventually name him, it hadn't been foremost in her mind. Making sure her son survived to come into this world had been her main priority.

"Because regardless of circumstances Hiei is honorable," the delay in Yukina's reply was obvious, a small smirk that made her look even more like the fire demon blossomed across her face, "he'd be a dragon to any male that came near his girl,".

* * *

 _Well I've had this done for a few days, but wanted to let it settle and then edit and post! I was going to wait until tomorrow (Monday), BUTTTTT I figured this was close enough! :D Also this sounds awful, but if you all were enjoying this, I would love a little review or an awesome or something. I see all these people now following or reviewed in the past and now nothing. I usually don't fish for reviews, but I would love to hear thoughts, comments, critics, theories!_

-j.d.y.


	9. Arc I: Jealousy

Word Count: 8185

Release date: Pie day 2016 (March 14th)

I own nothing!

* * *

It was too wild.

The whispers among those inside the fortress were louder than normal, the demons eyeing him as he entered. The whole place seemed on edge, several choosing to polish their weapons . Of course they would be he'd thought at first. His energy was wild, fiery, sex was on his mind. Many knew when Hiei returned from one of his excursions to leave the lord and her soon to be mate alone for several hours, days even, their energy could incinerate weaker demons who chose to be too close during their couplings. The fire demon was cranky, strutting through the corridors and many scampered out of his way.

But this wasn't the reason for the whispers nor the strange looks.

Yusuke, Lord of Tourin was here.

Hiei had felt the former human from miles away; unease tightening his muscles all through out his body. Maybe for anyone else it wouldn't have been so distinct, so easy to feel, but Hiei had fought with the man for years, been nearly a constant companion. It wasn't hard to realize who exactly it was when Yusuke burned so brightly. Regardless, the former human's energy was different from anyone else he'd ever met, even when he'd been a human his energy was one of a kind. Something special. It was like an electrical charge. When one caught sight of Yusuke, it always felt like he would jump right out of his skin, a wildness to him that exceeded even Hiei's rough aura. The young man wasn't a fire demon, but his energy burned like one. Being in the man's presence was electrifying; his energy never fully contained as it whipped around him. His human power had been the same, his demon energy only being more intense.

 _What does the detective want?_ Hiei's mind raced; the barest tinges of guilt beginning in his gut. There was no way the detective had heard of the rumors? That he had a demon lover on top of a human one? Everyone in Demon World knew that Yusuke was committed to a young human woman; the rumor being that he also had a demon mistress. A rumor the fire demon had started to cover his own ass. While he didn't think it would ever get back to the former human, would never ever ever get back to his human woman, the rumor had spread like wildfire through the fortress, apparently Mukuro had deemed it interesting enough to share with her advisers, who had in turn shared it even further. It wouldn't surprise Hiei if everyone in the land of Alaric knew the rumors of Yusuke's little whore on the side. He'd even heard a rumor that she was pregnant with his child.

Oh the irony.

Sighing the fire demon put on his best aggravated face, following Yusuke's distinct energy signature. It didn't surprise him that his mate to be was babysitting the demon, though he was surprised when he noticed another S class power level among the other two. So someone else had chosen to join them. Mulling over the signature it seemed familiar, but no one truly important he realized. No one he needed to remember anyway.

"Hey Hiei!," Yusuke was all grins for him, giving him a little wave as he slide open the door. He hadn't changed in the few months since Hiei had seen him. He chose to wear jeans and a white shirt, a red and green jacket over it. He rose an eyebrow at that; Yusuke wasn't wearing typical sparing clothes, but simple human ones. What was his purpose here? The last time he'd spoken or even seen the former human had been when they'd returned to human world after the incident, he'd completely ignored Yusuke since then, even his summons, and a few messages that had been sent. He'd incinerated them all.

"Hn," his red eyes glanced from Yusuke to his mate to be, "Mukuro," she gave him a little smile. One of the monks of Tourin were there. Hiei believed it was Hokushin, once Raizen's right hand man and now Yusuke's. A feeling of dread hit the fire demon hard. Seeing Yusuke like this was never a good sign, the monk made the feeling only skyrocket.

The three demons had obviously been waiting for them, a kettle of hot tea in the middle of the table, cups in front of each of them. Sighing barely, he joined them.

"Has the detective been waiting long?," grumbling he reached for the extra cup that had been rather obviously set out for him. This was not how the fire demon had been expecting his home coming to go. Maybe the tea, followed by maybe food, and then plenty of sex. The first two things had been maybe's simply because his thirst for Mukuro was much greater than his need for simple tea and food. And anyways he'd eaten while he was gone.

"Only a few hours," she shrugged, her displeasure at the impromptu visit showing, "he refuses to talk about whatever it is he wants". Normally Mukuro enjoyed Yusuke's company, she liked him much better than Yomi, his fighting spirit more like her own, but now was not the time to bother her. She was feeling rather deprived of her fire demon and anyways after the lie Hiei had told her, well she had held the former human in a rather negative light. Before she'd admired, while finding it foolish, but admirable all the same wish to stay with Kieko through out her human life.

"I just wanted to see my 'ol buddy pal!," he grinned again, his eyes quite playful. There was something off with him, Hiei noticed. The grin didn't quite reach his brown eyes, something serious being the playful banter. The young lord downed his tea, reaching for the kettle rather quickly.

"My apologies, Lord Mukuro," Hokushin nodded at both of them, "Hiei, the young Lord was quite insistent about coming, I couldn't talk him out of it," the monk let out a long sigh, one hand reaching up to rub at his temples. It seemed even Yusuke was bothering his underlings now, Hiei guessed.

"It's been a while since Hiei and I had a chat," his voice was steady as he shook his head, before he continued on, "Hiei and I had some wild times back in the day," one eye winked at them all. Yusuke hadn't changed at all over the years, still quite free. "Plus I was in the neighborhood and figured I'd drop by, ya know check up on some things," his voice changed a little.

"What things Yusuke? The tournament isn't for a few months, checking up on the competition?," Mukuro asked, her one good eyebrow rising. She sipped at her tea, her own energy filling the room. Not one to be matched, Hiei felt Yusuke rise his in jest, a large grin lighting up his face.

"Naa, nothin' like that, honestly," he grinned again, "though I wouldn't mind a good 'ol braw with ya," one eyebrow wiggled Mukuro, "ya know if Hiei don't mind sharing." Another wink, while the monk beside him let out another long sigh, this one much louder than the first.

"My lord," there was a warning in the monk's tone, but Yusuke quickly cut in, a well placed elbow (lightly) in the ribs in jest doing the trick. Hokushin glared at his king, rubbing his side angrily.

"Don't worry they know I'm only playin'!," the glare he sent the monk back was playful and with an eye roll be continued, "Honest!" he half yelled, when all three gave him a look, "Can't a guy be funny 'round here!?" he huffed, his dispossession becoming sullen.

"Yusuke, rumors are you liked to be shared," Mukuro said simply, her voice cutting the atmosphere quickly, Hiei's eyes moving quickly to judge the former human's reaction as his mate to be continued on, her eyes watching as well, "it's hard to judge if you are simply being funny or if you truly want to 'spar',". There was no way the detective was dumb enough to miss that. Yusuke seemed to still, before he choked on the tea he'd been sipping. Hokushin's eyes were the size of saucers for a few seconds, before his face slide into a mask of perfect composure, but there was a hint of malice in his aura.

"What the fu-,"

"I did not know you were the type to believe childish rumors, Lord Mukuro," the monk cut his Lord off quickly, his voice even, but defensive. If he was anything, he was fiercely loyal to Yusuke. While he spoke, he tucked his arms into his sleeves, his eyes locked on Mukuro in warning.

"I heard it from a reliable source," the demoness said, her arms crossing over her chest. She kept her voice evenly matched with the monk, defensive, but level, calm.

"I'd requestion your reliable source," was his only response.

 _So the rumors have reached Tourin_. Hiei wondered if Yusuke knew where the rumors had come from. That they had come from Hiei himself. Was this the former human's way of confronting him about it? Passive aggressive tea party. This wasn't Yusuke's usual style, maybe he'd learned a few things, after all from being a part of Demon World, Hiei wondered. Never go straight for your enemy, attack from all directions after gathering much information. Was Yusuke fishing now for information? The guilt within the fire demon's gut doubled. He'd only lied to cover his own ass, he never believed that his mate to be would actually spread those lies.

His cherry eyes watched his former teammate, noticing Yusuke still looked angry, but calmer now. The former human hadn't bothered to gel his hair -such a foolish human thing to do- but chose to let it go free, his face was much sharper then it had been years before when they'd first met. Yusuke looked much the same, but all child like qualities were gone, replaced by years of hard training, even his eyes were different. Haunted in a way, but still the only thing that kept their child like tendency at times. Some people would have trouble believing the human he'd met was the same demon that sat in front of him. Before Yusuke would have continued to scream and shout at Mukuro about how wrong she was, but this older Yusuke was just a tad more respectful, wiser.

"It does not matter," Yusuke's voice cut through the tension, his left hand slamming into the table, "I came for a friendly visit and damned if it's gonna be a stupid one!,". That was another quality to Yusuke, the quality for other's to stand beside him, to side with him over other's. Hiei rolled his eyes at the young man, snorting a little at his behavior.

"I do not have time to entertain you today Yusuke," Mukuro didn't sound as aggravated as before, before she shook her head and smiled a little. _I leave him to you._ "I have a meeting with my advisors about encouraging trade with Gandaar," she explained, choosing to stand, one hand trailed along Hiei's shoulder, igniting fire within him, "I will see you at the next meeting about the tournament with the King," she exited the room quietly, an extra sway to her hips for her mate to be.

 _Please deal with them quickly, I wish to have you._ Her words danced across his mind in such a way, that left his groin aching. Damn Yusuke for showing up now. He hadn't had sex with Mukuro in a week. He craved her, craved their battle of wills. Craved her around him. Damn Yusuke. The fire demon nearly growled in aggravation, before he forced himself to calm down. Yusuke obviously wanted something. He waited for the other demons to begin to talk.

The three men sat in silence for a while, a maid bringing them more tea after a while. She only stayed but a moment, but her presence seemed to annoy Yusuke. Now that Mukuro had left the room, the former human looked murderous, Hiei noticed. A dark aura hung around his head, every now and then he'd mutter something. The former fire demon was content to allow the silence to continue for a while; he suddenly felt tired. The trip home had been long and a good deal of his energy had been spent hunting down the horde of rogue demons.

"My lord, I believe it would be in our best wishes to deliver the news to Hiei sooner than later," the monk spoke up at last, watching his King from the corner of his eyes. His words were simple, but an ominous cloud floated above their heads at his words. Something changed in the young man's posture, his head flopping back to stare up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, yeah I know," there was a sigh, "I promised Kieko I'd cook her dinner later tonight anyway," he moved to look Hiei directly in the eye, a half grin across his face.

"Deliver what news?," the fire demon asked, raising one eye brow at Yusuke's words. While he knew the detective ran a ramen stand in the Human World, he did not know that he could cook more than noodles.

"It's more from pacifier breath," there was an exaggerated eye roll, and a sigh, "he says somethings going on," another sigh. Picking up his cup, Yusuke churned the liquid around a little, his chocolate brown eyes staring deep down in to it.

"Not my concern," huffing, he placed his arms over his chest. These were problems of Spirit World, not him. Ever since Koenma had taken over Spirit World, choosing to try his father on crimes against Demon kind, and eventually sentencing him to jail time, it had been relatively peaceful. Not that there hadn't been problems of course, like with the death cannon on Yusuke's hometown, but Spirit World took care of their own problems, just like Demon World handled their own. Why would he interfere? As long as Spirit World wasn't announcing a war on Demon World or vice versa, neither side had any reason to stick it's nose in either world's business.

"Well it might be," Yusuke spoke quietly and with a sudden surge of his demon energy he broke all the sound bugs in the room shocking both the demons in the room. Hiei raised an eye brow; he'd known they were there, but he hadn't realized Yusuke had caught on to them. It was even more shocking the former human had chosen to destroy them.

"Hn," his interest was peaked a little. Internally he growled, Yusuke knew him well enough to know when he'd finally caught the fire demon's interest.

"Something _big_ ," he literally growled the second word, choosing to slam his cup down. He paused for a moment, one hand drumming on the wood of the table.

"Go on," he eyed Yusuke; the former human leaned back, his palm flat on the floor behind him.

"I don't know details, but Koenma says something isn't right," blowing a tuff of bangs from his brown eyes, Yusuke sighed loudly.

"He worries over small things that do not matter," he growled. The King of Spirit World once worried over his lobster not being cooked quick enough, thinking someone had stolen it.

"He doesn't think the horde of demons you killed caused the border dispute between you guys and Yomi," bolting up real quick, Yusuke seemed pleased to give some kind of proof. He'd been silent after Hiei had pointed out that sometimes the ruler of Spirit World freaked about minuscule details.

"Does he have proof?," was there a chance he'd wasted all his energy and time on those lesser demons for nothing?

"No, but something is wrong," a pause, "his informant is missing,"

"Informant?" Raising an eyebrow in question. So Koenma wasn't as stupid as Hiei remembered him to be.

"Yeah, he wouldn't give me any details," he rubbed his finger under his nose a few times, "but he seemed upset about it," the former human's brows wrinkled in thought.

"Lord Koenma approached his majesty to give him a warning, he hoped he would spread the word to the other two Kings and King Enki,"

"Hn, no official announcement," the fire demon huffed a little, leave it to Spirit World to sweep things under the rug.

"Exactly,"

"Look, Hiei, I know you're probably still pissy with me after what happened-"

"Nothing happened!," a growl escaped his lips.

"-but I believe him, I dunno it seems awful fishy doesn't it?,". Ignoring the other demon's words like they hadn't even been spoken, Yusuke continued on, finishing his sentence with a serious dark look, resting his chin on his interlocked hands.

"Explain," he was being demanding, but why did the detective have to bring up that incident?

"We haven't had any problems in Demon World until now, only months before the next tournament," Yusuke explained slowly, fiddling with his thumbs under his chin, over and over.

"There have also been a few demon attacks on humans in Human World recently," the monk informed them, before shurging, "they haven't made an official announcement about it, but I've heard rumors,"

Hiei didn't respond, closing his eyes. It felt like a bombshell had been dropped on him. What could be going on that Koenma would feel the need to warn them over? But not make an official announcement? Of course many demons were distrustful of Spirit World after finding out they had brain washed many demons, they may not believe anything Koenma said. Warning or not, they'd claim it was a trick. This wasn't an easy matter, it had to be handed delicately. He was not delicate. Why would Yusuke go to the trouble of getting him alone to tell him this? Why hadn't he spoken of this in front of Mukuro? The fox would have been the better person to talk this over with.

"Have you spoken to Kurama?,"

"Yeah, he says we need to be 'diligent'," Yusuke used air quotes while doing his best impression of their red headed friend, "and watchful as the next tournament opens," he frowned a little.

"Has he any theories as to what is happening?,"

Once again Yusuke used air quotes, his face becoming quite serious as he tried to mimic Kurama, "He says 'I can not deny or affirm any of my suspicions without further evidence',"

"I am surprised you can remember all that," he snorted; that sounded like the fox. Never ruling out any options, unless he was for sure that was no possibility that it was an option. It was both an annoying and useful skill of the red head.

"I guess I learned something from all that time spent with Kurama," Yusuke grinned, sounding rather smug.

"What do you think?,"

"I dunno, honestly," he paused, rubbing under his nose again, "I mean we've already dealt with a mad man using a video tape to convince other people to help him end the world, what's next?," he paused, "a delusional human psychic trying to use beasts from a book to transform all humans into psychics?,"

"Don't tempt fate, your majesty,"

"Agreed," that was all they needed, maybe then they'd allow him to kill humans. If they were all pyschics it was an even playing field. Not that he really hated humans; they were just weak creatures. Strength was what the fire demon valued, not art, not beauty, not literature. Humans valued those things , things that in a few hundred years at the most would not matter. No one would be around to remember it. Very few items of beauty made it to the next era of human history to be valued. His strength would still be around for other's to value, for other's to envy and marvel at. He was important, envied by many in demon world. It reminded him of how humans valued their silly -what had Kurama called them?- famous people. It confused him how humans could idolize people for drawing on pieces of paper, for singing, for dancing. Why was that an accomplishment?

"We've already informed King Yomi and King Enki, you were our last to warn," Hokushin spoke after a moment; they were on a bit of a time limit.

"Hn," he nearly sighed, the dectective had given him much to think about. But then again when did Yusuke not give him a lot to think about? Ever since the former human had sprung into his life, albeit it being his own fault the detective had appeared in life, he'd had to steal them damn treasures, his life had been rather exciting. Always forcing him to question his own choices and honor code was something the detective excelled at, always making him acknowledge something good about humans.

"So yeah if ya see," there was a nod to his jagan, "or hear anything, let me know. I think somethin's goin' down and we need to be prepared for it," there was a huff and then a snort, "ya know as well as the toddler ever prepares us for shit," rolling his eyes, Yusuke glared at the table. Koenma had fucked them all over a few times, never quite preparing any of them on the cases he gave them. It wasn't uncommon for the new King of Spirit World to with hold information.

"I am no longer a tool of Spirit World," crossing his arms, the fire demon reminded the young man in front of him. He was done being a slave to Spirit World; his probation was over and any debt he owed them was long over.

"Always such a hardass, Hiei," standing up, Yusuke shoved his hands in the pocket of his red jacket, a grin forming on his face, "I think we're done here Hokushin," he shook his head once, the grin taking up more and more of his face.

"Yes, your majesty," the monk frowned at the fire demon, before turning back to his King. His face darkened a little, in worry or apprehension, Hiei wasn't sure. "Goodbye Hiei," the farewell was without emotion, but still fairly polite. In all honesty, the monk had never understood his King's ties to the fire demon. Kurama and the human Kuwabara were much more likeable; it was easy to see why his King valued them as friends, but Hiei was completely different. He showed no kindness to his King, no interest in communicating with his King, nothing to show that he even wanted Yusuke to be in his life.

Idly, he watched them head towards the door, disinterest showing across his face. Hiei wondered how long it would be before he saw the detective again? Months? Before the tournament? At the tournament? In truth it did not matter, Yusuke always had a way about throwing himself into his life, even now years later, he still wasn't too sure why he had saved the once human from that other human called Sniper. He liked to think it was because Yusuke's life belonged to him, no one else was allowed to kill Yusuke before he got his revenge. Somewhere underneath all that though, he knew it was because he valued Yusuke's life. Valued the trust Yusuke had always given him, never doubting that Hiei would stand by him, would do the right thing. Maybe that was why he'd reacted so angrily when Yusuke had been brutally murdered in front of him, the one person who absolutely trusted him with every fiber of their being was gone. His first friend, the person who was responsible for him meeting Mukuro. So in a way he owed the young man this. Owed him to at least keep a look out in case something big and bad did go down.

But before he could say anything, Yusuke spoke.

The duo of Tourin were near the door, the monk having his hand ready to slide it wide open, but Yusuke's strong hand on his shoulder stopped him momentarily.

"Hiei, I just wanted you to know," pink blossomed across Yusuke's face, the tips of his ears matching the red of his jacket, "I haven't gone back, that was a one time thing, it was always just info before," he rubbed the back of his neck, a cheeky and embarrassed grin moving across his face. It was an apology as best as the detective could make, without outing either one of them.

"Hn,"

Hiei found he believed him.

* * *

"Do you think he will aid us if the situation arises?," Hokushin asked once they were far enough from the traveling fortress not to be heard by ease droppers. The monk watched as his King dropped to a fallen log, his legs out stretched, both hands supporting his back as his brown eyes stared up at the red sky of Demon World.

"No doubt about it," Yusuke chuckled a little, watching lightening strike a far off spot. Ever since his talk with Koenma, he'd felt unsettled. It wasn't that he was perceptive like Kuwabara or Kurama, but there was something that grated on his edge of his senses. It dug into him like a splinter left too long in the skin, not quite painful, but an itch, and when flexed the right way sharpfully there.

"What makes you so sure, my King?," the monk had doubts. Hiei had not seem inclined to helping their cause, hardly seemed like he took the warning as what it was, but more of a joke. He liked Kurama better; the fox had listened and argued his claims, before agreeing to take Koenma's warning at face value.

"Hiei might be a little punk," the wind ruffled the demon King's hair, a small smile appearing across his face, "but he can't laugh at his dying friends,".

* * *

Yukina laughed when Kuwabara dropped all the silverware across the floor by accident, the giant man had tripped when the ice maiden boasted about his accomplishments at college. Apparently the human was going to be a veterinarian; Sayomi found it suited him. He was so kind and gentle, and as she learned had a special place in his heart for cats (he carried a picture of his cat in his wallet).

"Kuwabara," Genkai grumbled, her voice taking on an almost affectionate tone of a grandmother, "have you decided where you are going to study to take you exams and such?,".

"I'm not sure, I mean I have until the end of the semester to decide," he sounded sheepish, almost embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head, "I was thinking about taking the semester of truthfully..." he trailed off, refusing to make eye contact with any of them.

"Why is that?," Sayomi asked carefully, playing with the rice on her. While she was hungry, her stomach still felt nervous. It seemed despite Yukina's promises from the morning to contribute her own energy to develop the core of her son, she couldn't quite relax. Her nerves were on end, a feeling of dread filling her.

"I was thinking of getting a summer job," there was a sigh as he put his chop sticks down.

"Kazuma why would you need a summer job?," Yukina asked, placing the steaming pot of mushroom soup on the table, the sleeves of her kimono pinned up to keep them from the soup. It had taken her both hands to carry the pot from the stove.

"I'll get the noodles, Yukina," jumping to her feet, she breathed in the smell of the soup, her stomach rumbling in response. A part of her edged for her to take care of herself, Yukina didn't need to do all the work. With her back to the other, she allowed herself a sigh, listening as Kuwabara spoke.

"My savings for college are nearly all used up," he paused a little, his eyes looking down at his plate, "Veterinary programs are pretty pricey," he grumbled, picking at the rice absentmindedly.

"What about the money Spirit World paid you when you worked for them?," Sayomi heard Yukina saying, her mind going blank. Kuwabara worked for Spirit World? The seer was glad she hadn't turned around to face the other's, because it took a moment to force the shock from her face.

"That little jerk is such a cheap skape," there was a grumbling of Genkai, her eyes rolling at the new King of Spirit World.

"Koenma did pay you fairly, didn't he Kazuma?," it was an innocent question, before the voice changed to concern, "Sayomi do you need help? You've been standing at the counter for a while, are the noodles heavy?," the ice maiden sounded as if she was moving to help. A quick anger flared in her stomach, she could handle a pot of noodles.

"No, I've got it," turning around quickly, a smile plastered falsely all over her face, she carried the noodles over to the table.

"I didn't use that money on my college though," he mumbled, quickly reaching for the noodles from Sayomi, literally ripping them from her hands to place them on the table.

"What did you purchase then?," with her head titled to the side, a questioning look on her face, the ice maiden looked rather innocent, Sayomi thought, jealousy rearing its ugly head.

"It's a man thing, okay?," the human was saying, trying to stuff his face with food and plate with food as Genkai's aura and looks became increasingly darker, before she reached across the table, slapping the male rather harshly across the knuckles with her chop sticks.

"Did you blow the money, Kuwabara?," each word was pronounced rather angrily, the old woman demanding an answer. Her faded pink brown eyes were made of fire.

"N-no," he was stuttering, his face blossoming to a shade of red to match Yukina's eyes.

"Out with it!," the old psychic barked, her chop sticks stabbing into the wood of the table with such force they broke.

Sayomi winced a little, feeling a little sorry for the human. The old woman was down right frightening when she got angry, causing even Yukina to wish to flee the temple some days.

"I'm sure Kuwabara didn't blow the money," she mumbled, deciding to take up for the young human.

"I don't believe Kazuma would be that irresponsible either, Genkai," Yukina sent the seer an appreciative look, Kuwabara silently thanking both of them.

"Still where did the money go?," grumbling the old woman glared at all three of them, before continuing, "and also why are you not in class today, it is Friday is it not?," her glare settled heaviest on Kuwabara.

"You missed class to spend the day here?," the look on Yukina's face was stern, her cherry eyes staring down the human. He didn't dare meet either of them in the eyes, choosing to look everyone but.

"It's only one day," once again Sayomi decided to stick up for Kuwabara, he had done her quite a favor when he'd carried her on his back from town to Genkai's, that was quite a hike, "and any ways if anyone is to blame for him missing classes, it is mine," she sent Kuwabara a simple smile, and a little wink, "he came as soon as you called Yukina and then he carried me all the way back here, I think he deserves a break after all of that,".

"I didn't miss much anyway," he mumbled, he pushed the noodles around his plate, "I only have one class on Friday's,".

"Well what's done is done," sighing the old pyschic gave him another stern look, "but that still leaves the other matter, what did you do with the money?," she paused for a moment, barking again when he didn't respond quickly enough, "Just get on with it!," she huffed at him.

"I bought my parent's house with it," the words were out quickly, "and paid off their debts, along with Shizuru's beauty school loans," the blush reached down into his shirt.

"Oh, Kazuma why wouldn't you wish to tell us?," she paused, her hand reaching across the table to lay on one of Kuwabara's much bigger ones, "that's an honorable thing to do," her voice was soft and a little proud.

"I don't want Shizuru to know, she thinks she won money off a lottery ticket," he looked sheepish, "Koenma owed me a favor so he set it up so she would win the money off a lottery ticket," rubbing at the back of his head again, he grinned, "ya know how prideful Shizuru can be...".

"You moron," Genkai rolled her eyes, but they softened regardless. She sighed a little, choosing to return to her tea.

"We won't tell her," Yukina promised, patting Kuwabara's hand for a moment, before giving it a squeeze that he briefly returned. When she withdrew her hand, her cheeks were a rosy red.

"Who is Shizuru?," Sayomi asked in curiosity, her head tilting to the side in wonder.

After dinner, Sayomi had cleared the table, everyone else going their separate ways. It hadn't taken much time, there were no leftovers (Kuwabara did eat nearly a mountain, as did she) to be put away. Which left washing dishes which took minimal time. It was busy work enough that she was able to keep her mind focused on the task at hand, instead of on dark thoughts.

Once the dishes were done and even dried, she had really tried to keep her dark thoughts away, she went to rest on the back porch.

The vision of Hiei threatening her filled her mind all day, and she'd turned over what it meant many times. She knew it had something to do with Yukina, but she couldn't figure out why. The ice maiden was so kind, so sweet, what was there to tell her that Hiei wouldn't want her to know? Did the minty haired girl have a secret? Or did the fire demon have a secret regarding Yukina? It had to do with Yukina's ability to feed her son's core. There was no other option for the vision hitting her so suddenly. But what was the relationship there? Most of her afternoon had been spent mulling the issue over in her mind.

And while the donation of Yukina's energy to her son's core had softened the news from the morning, it still scared her. That no matter what she did, the fact that she didn't possess demon energy herself, stopped her from being able to properly care for her son. That was a mother's job, to care for their child, to provide, to protect and she couldn't even do that correctly. Yukina was required to fuel her son's core with demon energy since his energy was of the demonic kind, his physique also taking after a demon. While she was grateful to the ice maiden, a small tiny part of her, she worked hard to bury it, was jealous that the ice maiden could do such a thing for her son and she could not. It hurt her very deeply to think that way, especially when Yukina had been so very kind to her. The hurt also stemmed from the fact that she couldn't be a proper mother to her son.

What kind of mother could she be if she couldn't even form her son's core alone?

It was a hard question to ask her self and she'd been sullen and dejected all day, straying far from everyone else in the temple. Outside had called to her and she'd wandered the temple grounds, enjoying the smells of rain from the night before. The fall air was cool against her warm body, she'd pulled her hair off the nape of her neck to keep her even cooler. She didn't dare enter the forest, the ominous aura driving her far from it's trees. The koi pond had been where she finally settled, watching the koi fish swim in circles, a few fish had been brave enough to jump from the water, splashing her a few times. Dying grass softened her butt a little, her fingers ripping up the last of green from summer's end as she watched the fish.

It didn't surprise her that she chose once again to head to the koi pond after dinner. The dark didn't bother her, except she had to squint to see where the rocks along the pond's edge ended and the dark water began. Her mind conjured the image of the first day she'd land around the temple, realizing she'd only made it safely through the forest because of Hiei's influence, he'd protected her from harm that night. Once she was sure she wouldn't sit in the water or anything that would cause her pain, her body sank in to the grass, finding the spots of ripped earth where she'd pulled at the grass earlier in the day.

It was quiet, but for the sounds of the crickets and the koi fish still swimming through the pond, until Kuwabara decided to join her.

He didn't said anything at first, choosing to stay silent by her side. The noise of his coming hadn't been quiet, he'd tripped over a rock, he was a little clumsy and it was rather dark, the only lights being from the stars and a lantern that Sayomi had left lit in the door way of the temple. But he'd been quiet by her side, squatting down beside her, palms resting on his knees. There was a chunk of noise between them, before the sound of striking of a match, and then a light; Kuwabara had brought out a lantern with him. Small eyes switched targets from the koi to her ripping of the grass every now and then.

"I thought you might be cold," he finally said, his eyes finally focusing on her face. One large calloused hand held a thick jacket much too large for her small frame; she realized it must have been one of his.

"Thank you," she took it from him silently, drowning in the fabric of the sleeves; she was right, this defiantly belonged to the broad shouldered human. "Why didn't you use the lantern to see by?," she asked after she'd ripped up another tuff of still green grass.

"I didn't want to disturb you," he murmured, watching as a fish jumped, splashing a little water on his pants. "I've walked out here plenty of times to know the way, used to spend almost every weekend up here," she could hear the smile in his voice. Nostalgia was heavy in his speech.

"Oh," sighing she pulled the jacket tighter around herself, for once since she became pregnant her body didn't feel super heated. She knew her son must have been full, requiring no more energy from her at the moment to form his core. It was strange to be cold.

"Thanks for sticking up for me at dinner,"

"Genaki was too harsh," it was true. The old lady had been down right grumpy.

"She can be, but she means well," a little smile played across his face.

"I understand," and the seer did. Many times over the years, she'd seen people mean well, but be total assholes about how they showed their concern, much like Genkai.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the crickets becoming louder. Sayomi watched as a lightening bug flew by, flying too close to the water, she sighed a little as a koi fish jumped from the water, swallowing the lightening bug quickly. The poor bug flashed briefly from inside the fish's stomach.

"Yukina really likes you, I'm glad she's not alone up here anymore,"

"She had Genkai," she murmured, barely audible.

"True, but Genkai likes quiet..." There was a huff and a gentle thud as Kuwabara lowered his body to the ground, stretching his long legs in front of him. His feet just barely dangling over the koi pond.

"Yukina is quiet," the ice maiden was in fact quiet, but observant, self contained.

"She needed someone to take care of, Genkai takes care of herself,"

"I don't want to be taken care of," she grumbled, her temper flaring a little. In all the centuries of working under her master she'd never been taken care of. She'd always been in charge of her own well being and the well being of her master.

A thought struck her then, maybe part of her jealously with Yukina stemmed from the fact that since she'd arrived at the temple, Yukina always took care of her.

"Yukina likes to take care of people," he paused, suddenly seeming sad. "She's only staying here with Genkai, because she thinks she's doing what's best for me," Sayomi's head snapped up, looking towards the human. Her silver eyes took in the shadow of the human; he was leaning back on his hands, his face staring up at the sky. When he noticed her looking, he turned to face her, a sad smile illuminating his face in the dark.

"What do you mean?," she was confused, her brow wrinking.

"She moved out of Genkai's to live with my family in the city, to ya know experience human life, so one day she could live like humans do,"

"Then why is she here?," her silver eyes stared deep into the face of the human, trying to find answers there.

"When I went to college, she said she would be distract me from school, so she moved back here,"

That made sense; Yukina wouldn't want to bother Kuwabara. As far as Sayomi could tell, the human meant a great deal to the ice maiden. In the few hours she'd seen the two interact it was quite easy to see that both parties cared very deeply, they were very happy when they were together. And Yukina was such a kind soul that she would leave some place where she was happy for some one else.

"So she exiled herself here..." trailing off she thought how alike her and Yukina were. Sayomi had exiled her self to the brothel house. The seer had known if she betrayed her master than he would punish her, he'd send her some place awful. The day of her betrayal, she'd awoken and known. The brothel had flashed across mind so badly, it left a a pounding headache in it's wake. Flashes of naked bodies, men being too rough, and the mistress had flashed across her mind. It had been her fate and still she had chosen it. Why? Simply because if that was the price to pay for her master to be stopped, to be punished for his actions, then she'd taken it. She'd exiled herself from her life to benefit other people.

Yukina had done the same. She chosen to go some place she didn't want to be for the sake of Kuwabara. So he'd have more time to focus on his studies, so one day he could achieve his dreams. Both had willingly made sacrifices, albeit for different reasons and with different consequences, but the situations were similar.

"Yup," he paused, "but she's not alone anymore," he turned to her, a grin splitting across his face.

"I don't understand,"

"You may not see the difference, but I do," he looked down in to the pond, wiggling his shoes over the water, "shes happier since you came, Yukina likes you," he chuckled a little.

"Oh, why are we having this conversation?," she asked, confused. Why was he telling her this?

"Yukina just wants to help you," his aura nudged the child within her causing her to gasp when he nudged back, "don't be jealous of her feeding his core... thingy," he brow furrowed, before he continued, "I don't get all this core stuff, but even if Yukina is going to feed your baby's core that doesn't mean you need to be upset about it. She's helping you,"

"I should be able to provide for my son," the words slipped out; Sayomi hadn't mean to tell the human, but his aura was comforting. Something told her that he would never tell on her.

"Well aren't you anyway?," rubbing his chin, "don't you give him all the nutrients for his body? Aren't you housing him for nine months? Plus Genkai said you were still needed to build his core thingy, you just needed some demon energy,"

"I didn't think of it that way," staring into the water, she sighed. Maybe she had been jealous for the wrong reasons. While she hadn't been down right cold to Yukina, the seer hadn't been nearly as friendly as usual. In all honesty she'd avoided the minty haired girl all day, refusing her help for numerous things, like cleaning up after dinner.

"Yukina noticed, she didn't understand why you avoided her all day, worrying after you," he sighed, "don't make a big deal out of it, 'cause then she'll know I said somethin'," using his fore finger he was rubbing his cheek. "I'd have noticed regardless, you were throwing all kinds of emotions out all day,"

"You can sense emotions?," she asked curiously.

"I sense things, always have, real pain in the ass during sad movies in a theater," he chuckled.

"I bet," she giggled a little, noticing a few tears leaking down her face in horror. She was crying! The seer hadn't even noticed. Using the sleeves of Kuwabara's jacket, she tried to wipe the tears away before the human noticed.

"No, don't cry!," he looked shocked.

"Pregnancy hormones, I'm not even sure why I'm crying honestly," she explained between tears. The day had been too much for her, her son's energy rising, as Kuwabara's aura of comfort reached over her soul. Every thing had come crashing down on her, she felt the human pat her arm in sympathy, clearly at a loss for words. She breathed in and out deeply, hiccuping a few times. It had been a stressful day and now her body had decided to send her hormones of the uncontrollable kind.

After a while, her tears dried and slowly she got her breathing under control. It took lots of thoughts of her son, of getting the chance to hold him one day, that at first had only made her cry harder, even if they were tears of joy, before finally her hormones let up a little.

"I am sorry," she said as they were walking back toward the temple, holding her arms in front of her to show the human the jacket, she blushed, "about the jacket, it's going to have to be washed now," she frowned a little.

"Don't worry bout it," shrugging he brushed it off, his face locked in a face of indecision. "May I ask you something?," he asked after a moment.

"Yes...?," suddenly she felt hesitant, Kuwabara had stopped before they reached the steps, far enough away from the door way so no one would hear them if they were waiting there.

"Why do you feel like Botan?," he blurted out, his face open and confused.

"Botan...?" she asked confused. Who was Botan? The name itched in her memory somewhere, but she couldn't remember where she'd met a Botan.

"Botan, she's a grim reaper," he explained, the name clicking into place for Sayomi, she stilled a little. "You feel like she does, but slightly different. When I looked at your aura, you remind me of Botan, not quite human or demon...," he paused a moment, lost in thought, "but something... else." he finished finally, his aura brushing against her own, examining it closely.

"I-" she began, a lie about to spring forth from her tongue. Botan, the grim reaper. Botan of Spirit World. Botan, Assistant to Koenma, ruler of Spirit World.

"Kazuma you'll catch cold in this weather without a jacket," Yukina spoke softly, her body materializing a top the porch steps. She gave both parties a smile, the chill in the area around them lessening. "Sayomi I was wondering where you were, I wanted to ask if you would play cards with me and Kazuma?," there was hope in her eyes. Sayomi felt both relieved and guilty. Relieved that Yukina had shown when she had and cut the conversation short, guilty because she had treated the ice maiden a little cruelly during the day.

"That sounds fun," she smiled brightly at the ice maiden, climbing up the stairs. Yukina frowned at her face in the lantern light. "Pregnancy hormones," she muttered as an explanation.

"Come, let's go inside," Yukina spoke softly, "Kazuma, will you please go get the cards from your room?,"

"Yes my dear!," Kawabara grinned, bounding up the porch steps two at a time. As he passed Sayomi, she felt the briefest of touches of his aura in question, before Yukina's brushed his away, giving some of her energy to the child resting within her womb.

As the two women headed inside, Sayomi wondered if Yukina had purposely sent Kuwabara inside first, because as she passed her, the ice maiden gave her a wink.

How long had Yukina been standing a top the porch steps?

* * *

This chapter was a bit of a beast! But happy pie day! I wonder if anyone will catch the information in this chapter or the references to one of my very dear friends stories on here :D

-j.d.y.


	10. Arc I: Bowling

I do not own anything, but Sayomi.

Word Count: 7024

Release Date: 3/22/2016

* * *

Mukuro was so warm around him, her body so perfectly fitting against his own. The artificial limbs were cool against his overheated flesh. There were no proclamations of love or tender words between them, just harsh breaths, and the small demanding words of 'harder', 'right there', and growling (Hiei). It didn't take long for the Lord of Alaric to find her mate to be after Yusuke left; she never even bothered to ask how the rest of their visit had gone. Simply throwing caution to the wind and shoving him rather roughly against the nearest wall.

Their relationship wasn't a gentle one.

It had been too long. Even if it had only been a week or so, it had been too long. Hiei fought for control over Mukuro, grabbing into her shoulder rather roughly, ripping the fabric away from her skin, the noise echoing loudly. It hardly mattered, their energy was enough to ward anyone from being too close, unless they had a death wish. The two demons energy rippled through the rooms hard, the nearby table being flung across the room.

When it was all over, the room looked like an atom bomb had been dropped, scorch marks traced the lines of the walls, fabric strung across the floor. The bed was in shambles; the sheet ruined beyond repair, somehow the mattress had escaped damage, partially because it was something Mukuro was actually attached to and partially because every other object in the room had been their fucking spot. The chairs were in pieces, unable to bare Hiei's thrusts.

Spitting out the blood from his mouth, Hiei rolled shoulders once, a feral grin lighting up his face. He stood in the middle of the room, his cherry eyes surveying the damage. They'd done quite a ringer on the room.

"Will you not come lay down with me?," she lay on her right side across the bed, her good eye staring up at him. She spoke lazily, one arm -the good one- beckoning him to be with her.

"Hn," he shrugged once, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. He felt her good hand rub at his back.

"That wasn't what I meant," she spoke, but sighed softly. Cuddling wasn't in Hiei's nature, not in either of their nature, but for some reason she wanted it. Wanted to feel his skin against her own besides when he took her swiftly. Wanted to mold herself around his body easily, feel the heat of him, breathe his scent into her.

Hiei chose to say nothing, but to lay down on his back, a few inches separating the two of them from fully touching. Her hand went across his stomach, pulling him closer, despite his protests. This is not what the fire demon liked, being touched was not something he enjoyed all the time.

"I know you do not like this," Mukuro paused, her eyes taking in his face -his eyes were closed, his face set into a hard line of unapproaval-, "but mates cuddle every now and then," she smiled a little.

"We are not mates, now are we?," he spoke evenly, the muscles jumping underneath his skin. Not that he didn't want to make her happy, but his nature was not cuddling, was not soft. He'd spent his whole life fighting, never being touched gently, what could a cuddle do for him? It was a simple stupid human gesture, not something he wanted to partake in.

"We will be soon," raising an eyebrow, her voice rose a little in anger. She did not ask much of him, simple things in reality, normally she did not expect much either.

"We can 'cuddle'," he said the word like it was poison, one eyebrow arching high as he said it, "after we mate then,"

"I do not understand why it is so hard for you to touch me?," she growled loudly, the lovely half of her face twisting in anger.

"I touch you plenty," he kept his voice contained, quiet. No point in arguing with her.

"When we have sex and sometimes on my birthday," she pulled herself from him harshly, not leaving the bed, but putting obvious space between them.

"It is not something I enjoy," his red eyes left her face, tracing the outline of the bed.

"Can't you enjoy it for me?," she smiled a little, at least attempted too. It came out more as a grimace, hurt coloring her damaged face.

"You wish more from me than I am willing to give," it was true. Sex was in his nature, being a companion was another thing he could do, but give her affection like a silly human male was something he could not.

"I believe you can give more,"

"I can not," he paused for a moment then continued, "we are demons, what is 'cuddling' to us?,"

"It shows affection, it proves we care for one another," she sighed, hurt beginning to sprout in her good eye, "or do you not care for me Hiei? Do you only be with me for the liberties it allows you? Or out of loneliness?,"

"No it is not that..." guilt hit him like a bullet, racing across his body, pooling in the pit of his stomach. It was not the liberties that bound him to her, and while he had been lonely for a period of time that wasn't the driving force of their relationship. _She was lonely as well._ His brain supplied; they'd both been lonely, finding solace in the other's company, they were such similar creatures afterall.

"Then what is it?," her energy swerved around her, anger spiking through the room angrily. Demanding.

"I do not believe cuddling is important in our mating," it was the truth. Something he knew they would disagree on. While Mukuro did not enjoy public displays of affection, she did enjoy in their private life touching, always urging for more.

"Not important?," the tone of her voice implied she was surprised, a hint of sadness creeping along.

"We are not humans," he spoke matter of factly, his cherry red eyes coming to meet her one good one, hoping to convey his feelings.

"Cuddling is not just for humans Hiei!," she exclaimed, "is this all we will ever be?," sighing once, her body turned away from him completely. She choose to lay facing away from her, unable to look into his face anymore.

Hiei snapped his lips shut, the words he needed to express falling short. How could he explain to his mate to be that touching in that way was not in his nature? Cuddling was a human custom, something he never wanted to be. Their relationship wasn't lacking in anything, the sex was great, they were content in each other's presence, why bring foreign motions into it? Why try and push the fire demon to do things he was not comfortable doing? Why was she trying to change who he was a person? If something was not in his nature, why try and force him to go along with it? Human customs were not his cup of tea as the fox would say.

To allow another being to touch him in ways other than rough sex and fighting were not in the cards for Hiei. Never in his childhood or adult life had he ever been treated tenderly. He'd been raised in the harsh world of Demon World, ripped from his mother's arms and thrown off a cliff to die. Even in his first short few hours of life, he'd nearly been murdered. Luckily the bandits who raised him had never intentionally hurt him, but they had never been gentle. Never gave him a warm hug or a speck of real love. Bed mates over the years had never been for cuddling either, just a good (sometimes rather lousy) romp in the sack. No one had ever stayed to cuddle in to his side, he never imagined anyone would ever want too. Even in the time he had known Yusuke, their had never been kind touches, but a few claps on a shoulder or the other men gently taking care of his body while he hibernated and he did not even remember those moments.

But he wondered momentarily, shouldn't Mukuro understand? She had been a sex slave, never given a gentle love, but instead rape and forcefulness, bruises. Her very body had been altered to be a better play thing for her surrogate demented father. He'd implanted false memories to keep her from ever killing him once she grew older, stronger, the man may have been many horrible things, but weak in body he was. The demon lord had doused herself in acid to be free of him, ruining half her body but gaining her freedom. So what did Murkuro know of tenderness? Of affection? Of soft touches? She had never had it from anyone else, in all honesty she should be the one person who understood why exactly touching, why he did not wish to be intimate in other areas besides sex.

And yet she wanted more.

Why? Hiei could not understand.

"I would think you would understand," he spoke softly, watching her back across the bed. A small part of him told him to reach out and touch her, to run his warm fingers along her spine, even the small gesture would appease her.

"It does not matter," she finally said, after a few moments of silence. There were not tears, she was too strong for that, far older as she was, but a cloud of sadness and depression hung over her, as if the rain was threatening to plummet down any moment.

* * *

If the town at the base of Genkai's mountain had seemed busy to Sayomi, the city where Kuwabara attended University was a thriving beehive.

Every where she went cars lined the streets, traffic clogging the roadways. Bus stops littered most corners, different bus route signs being displayed. Taxi's stopped for hailing customers, one little taxi cutting off several other cars in their eagerness for a paying client. People on bikes weaved between the walking patrons of the city, careful not to hit anyone with their bike. Students were out in full swing, many still in their school uniforms, mingling in groups of three or four. Business men were often alone, some in groups on their way to meetings. Every shop seemed to be open, the neon signs flashing brilliantly. Mother's pulling their children along, got the biggest reaction from Sayomi, her mind supplying an image of her own offspring wishing for ice cream like one child had done. It comforted her, her one hand flat over her womb.

The Human World was loud and chaotic, people rushing from place to place in order to conduct their business. It had been so long since the seer had entered a human city of this magnitude. She felt off balanced, a young man running into her nearly caused her to have a panic attack, before Kuwabara had caught her by the elbow, yelling something after the man to apologize. It was strange how much the world had changed in all the years she'd been among the living.

Her earliest memories of the Human World were ones of war, humans, least the ones in Japan, still used swords to fight, guns not even a tool of war. Samurai had ruled the land, the government relying on them as they would for hundred of years. Back then passage between Demon and Human World was allowed, the barrier hadn't been constructed then. Humans lived in tiny villages in poverty, disease claiming many more lives then the samurai who slaughtered innocent people. Demons pried on these humans and each other. Back then it had been a world of chaos, of killing, of survival. She had been lucky to have the protection of her master in those times, she had been safe as his presence. Even then she'd traveled across the world, mostly in Japan, doing her master's biding. Sayomi had been trained in self defense, but never as one of his attacking forces. Over time, her eyes had been his ace in the hole, his weapon when it came to planning strategies, to planning how best to effectively deal with their enemies, how best to serve him.

It hadn't been a bad life.

But Sayomi much preferred this one. This world of technological advancement, where humans lived much more peacefully together. Before they'd killed each other, almost as much as demons preyed on humans, but now they lived in a world of fragile peace. Smiling, the pregnant woman noticed how things had changed and while not liking the smell of cars, she marveled at their efficiency. The fact that so many people lived so close together was strange, but made sense.

Humans really had matured in the centuries she had served her master.

"Sayomi, we're just going to stop at Kazuma's house before we head to the bowling alley," Yukina caught her attention, a smile lighting up her face. The ice maiden was dressed like a human today, Sayomi had braided Yukina's long minty hair into a french braid down her back. She'd chosen to wear some kind of black dress shoes and white stockings, a tan skirt hung to her knees, and she wore a blue tank top with a beige sweater hanging loosely over her shoulders. The slightly cold air didn't seem to bother her.

"Alright," she smiled and nodded, following after her two companions. Yukina had dressed her this morning in a black skirt with long black stockings and a thick sweater, Kuwabara had permitted her to wear his jacket since she felt the cold much more strongly than the ice maiden.

"We will take the subway across town," Kuwabara spoke up, gesturing the two women down in to the subway.

They had come in to the city to play some human game calling bowling. At first when hearing the rules, Sayomi had been worried that she shouldn't be picking up the balls, but both the human and the ice maiden had promised it was perfectly safe, they had lighter balls she could bowl with. It would be nice to leave the temple while they had a guide, Yukina had said. Genkai had clearly agreed, all but kicking them from the temple while they discussed the plans over breakfast. The old woman had seemed happy with the idea of them leaving, of having her temple to herself, even if it was only for a few hours. When they'd turned to leave, she'd said good bye, before blowing smoke in all their faces and disappearing into parts unknown.

The train ride had been simple, roughly two hours of sitting still. It had fascinated Sayomi, she'd never actually ridden one, her silver eyes watching the country side fly by. It was strange and a little sad how far out of touch she was with the world. Yukina had doused on the way there, her head falling to rest on Kuwabara's shoulder, his arm reaching around to hold her securely in place.

They made an odd, but happy pair, Sayomi decided.

"The subway is just like a train, but underground," Yukina told her, taking her hand as they headed into the subway. Sayomi felt her son rise a little, his energy expanding outside of her body to brush against unaware humans. Some of them turned to them, feeling something not quite wrong, but not quite right either in the way.

"Don't be greedy, little one," she mumbled, her aura flaring to pull her son back. He was adventurous and since the ice maiden had begun feeding him two weeks before, he seemed more alive, more energetic, and even more curious about the world outside the womb.

"So we're calling him 'little one' now?," Kuwabara asked, once they'd boarded the train. He was standing, one hand holding onto the rail above him. Both girls sat nearby him, his massive body facing them.

"I'm not sure," a small smile light up her face, her hands resting in her lap. She still hadn't thought of a name for him, not that it hardly mattered, there were still months to go before he would be delivered in to this world.

"She hasn't decided on a name for him yet," Yukina mumbled, her cherry eyes watching the people mingle on the train.

"Are you sure it's going to be a boy?," the large man asked, his eyes rolling as another man bumped into him. "I don't know much about pregnant girls, but you're so small..." he trailed off, his eyes taking in her form.

"He has plenty of time to grow Kazuma, nearly six months in fact,"

"Shouldn't you see a doctor, to ya know, know," the blush fluttering across the human's face had moved to his neck as well.

"He is a boy, I promise," Sayomi giggled a little. Her pregnancy was nearing four months. She tried to count back weeks, and days, but from her time in Demon World, time had meant nothing. Titling her head to the side she tried to count the time on her fingers. She'd been at Genkai's five weeks now. It had been two weeks since she had collapsed in the town. She had been roughly two and a half months along then so roughly ten weeks. That made her now fifteen weeks along, give or take a week.

"Isn't it still too soon though to know with ultrasound testing?," Kuwabara asked, holding the pole above him much tighter when another man bumped into him again.

"I'm roughly, by my calculations fifteen weeks along," her brow deepened in thought. Maybe her weeks were off a little, but they were correct more or less. It all confused her when it came down to it. But then again she hadn't been to see a doctor. Something of a mother's worry blossomed in the pit of her stomach, but who would she see? Was their a doctor that handled different pregnancies such as her own? Or could she see a human doctor since her child shouldn't have any strange appendages that a normal human wouldn't have?

"In my readings, a child's gender can be seen as early as sixteen weeks," Yukina spoke softly, a smile lighting up her face, her cool hands gently brushing Sayomi's arm, sending a slight thread of energy through her. She looked momentarily tired, but her snow white smile stayed locked on her sweet face.

In the two weeks since they had realized the ice maiden could supple the child energy to build his core, she had been rather generous with her energy. In turn Sayomi was stronger, feeling less sickness than she had so early in her pregnancy. She did not feel as tired, but more rested, sleeping better through out the nights. Food stayed with her much easier and her body grew stronger. The circles around her eyes he hadn't noticed blossoming, had gone mostly away, her very skin glowing. She felt much more relaxed, taking the ice maiden's energy may have made her guilty, but at the same time her overall mood was much better.

Yukina on the other hand was pushing herself. Continuously keeping the cold from the temple, so they could put off using the oil heaters for as long as possible, apparently having heating oil delivered to the temple was both tedious and costly. While she did not look as weak as the pregnant woman had been before Yukina had begun feeding her energy, she looked tired. Not throwing up, no change in eating or sleeping habits, but she looked tired. Sayomi noticing, had allowed less of Yukina's energy to channel into her, but still the girl was persistent, always pushing her body to help, still refusing to allow Sayomi to lift anything heavy.

"I'm still not sure how far along I am," twisting her fingers in her lap, before pitching her voice lower, "it's so hard to follow the passage of time there," she was nearly muttering.

"Well let's go with fifteen weeks, you still have twenty five weeks to go," Yukina was saying, scooting closer to her as a woman sat down on her other side. The subway was packed, thankfully Kuwabara was on her other side, standing watch over the two of them. No one dared to sit on Sayomi's other side.

"So you'll be having shrimps' baby in late March or early April?," Kuwabara asked, having already done the math in his head. "Hey will you watch it!?," he growled at the man once again bumping into him.

"Kazuma do not let it bother you," Yukina muttered, but sending a small icy glare in the other man's direction, "but yes that sounds about right,"

"So it's the beginning of November," Sayomi asked aloud, her mind latching on to the fact. It had been summer when she had become pregnant with Hiei's son.

"Wait you didn't know what month it was?," the look on the human's face was one of confusion and surprise.

"Time does not matter over there," a slight blush went across her face.

"Demons typically have some kind sense of time," Yukina spoke softly, a question on the tip of her tongue, she seemed as confused as Kuwabara.

"Not where I was," she wasn't ashamed. Her thoughts drifted to the Brothel, so she had been correct that she'd spent two years there. A little more in all honesty. She'd been sent there around the same time of the first Demon World Tournament. Her son would be born a few months before, not long though.

"Where exactly were you?," Kuwabara asked, his voice loud over the crowd. Some people turned to look at the gentle giant.

"It does not matter," sending the human a glare, she nodded in the direction of the humans, "where I come from does not matter, only matters where I am now,"

It was true, her time in the Brothel had been her punishment for betraying her master and while she had not enjoyed her time there, it did not mean anything more than a punishment. Maybe one day she would realize the changes it brought to her, but for now it was something she wanted to move on from. There was no point in dwelling on something that she knew would happen when she betrayed him, she'd accepted it. In one way she was grateful, because it was giving her a son, a little boy who she knew she would treasure. The seer wanted her life to progress in the direction of a mother, not to linger on the past.

"In my country, we marked the passage of time with how often our children were born," Yukina spoke finally, when all eyes of the humans on the subway had returned to what they were doing previously. "So I do understand, not knowing the passage of time," she smiled once, her pale icy hand patting Sayomi's warms ones a few times.

"True, that is a wild place," Kuwabara murmured, his beady eyes watching the signs for their stop. The group sat in silence for a while.

"Is our stop soon Kazuma? It's nearing two and our reservation of the lanes was two thirty, I believe,"

"Yeah the next one," he looked at his watch, "we'll have to stop at my house after the bowling alley,"

And true enough the trio got off at the next station, Kuwabara leading the way, people moving out of the way quickly to avoid him. The two women followed behind quickly. It was a short walk from the subway station to the bowling alley. It felt good to be out of the subway, but this part of town seemed even busier than the last, Sayomi realized. Less business men lingered here, but more young people in street clothes and school uniforms. Groups of them walking along, playing games.

Kuwabara had obviously spent much time in his younger years here, guiding them through the streets rather quickly. Yukina seemed comfortable as well, the ice maiden holding one of her hands, the other clasped tightly around one of Kuwabara's much larger ones. There was a slight blush to her face, but a smile lingered there.

They eventually found the place they were looking for, Kuwabara ushering them inside. Children ran around inside, the lanes of the bowling alley all against the back wall. An older gentlemen stood behind a desk, ushering people towards lanes.

"Thank god we reserved one," Kuwabara was muttering, taking in the scene. The place was full, packed with mostly children and overwhelmed parents chasing after them. Only one lane had people of the older generation bowling. "Go ahead and get your shoes, I'll check us in and pay,"

Obediently the two of them headed in the direction of the lady handing out shoe sizes. Yukina knew the human's size, saving them time, while they waited for the human to finish paying and direct them to their lane.

"Now we just wait on Kurama," Kuwabara announced, leading the way towards lane four. Sayomi mid turned to ask him what he meant, but her question was answered before it even escaped from her lips.

"I am here," the voice was like silken honey, the trio turning in the direction of the voice. The man appeared human, Sayomi noticed, but beautiful beyond compare. His beauty was otherworldly, but not a face one would see on magazines, it was too soft a face for that, but so beautiful. Other people in the bowling alley, even the mother's with their husbands watching, caught notice of the man with the vivid candy apple red long hair. It fell down his back in wild waves, perfectly styled, but to Sayomi resembled a animal's fur as it spiked. His face was angular, but soft, not hard like Kuwabara's were. His eyes were an emerald green, gold specks flickered in his irises, a maturity there that betrayed his obvious youth. He was dressed simply, but classy, tan slacks and a cream button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to expose toned cream arms.

Sayomi knew this man was not human.

He was far too perfect.

"Kurama!," Kuwabara clapped the red headed man on the back, a large grin across his face. His aura was alight with happiness. "Been too long since I seen ya!,"

"That is true, you haven't needed my help as a tutor in quite a while," the young man smiled easily, "Shizuru must be proud," it was obvious that he was as happy to see the human as Kuwabara was to see him. His eyes danced in mirth. "Yukina is has been even longer since I seen you, how is Genkai? I keep meaning to take a trip to see her, but my step father's company keeps me busy," he frowned then, a sour look crossing his face.

"She is well, only growing more like Genkai in her old age," the ice maiden giggled a little, everyone silently agreeing with her statement. "This is Sayomi, she is staying with Genkai and I for the time being,"

"How do you do?," he bowed to her, a smile dancing along his lips, "I am known as Kurama, but my human name is Shuichi, in case we meet in a setting where I am addressed as Shuichi," he sent a half glare at the human, "Kuwabara is often forgetful of that fact,"

"Not my fault I only knew you by Kurama for the longest time," muttering the human changed into the bowling shoes.

"Hello, nice to meet you," she bowed back, a small smile on her face. She had heard of Kurama, Kuwabara mentioned him when they had discussed why he was going to school, apparently to be a veterinarian. Genkai had also spoken of him a few times, the red head had even called the week before for some kind of advice.

"How are you faring with Genkai?,"

"She is a wonderful host,"

"Do not fear," he sent her a charming smile, "I know how diffucult she can be at times,"

"Urameshi still complains about it," Kuwabara laughed then,

"Yusuke can be a bit of a complainer every now and then," Kurama joined in the laughter. "I am surprised you did not invite him here today?," there was a question there, almost as if the red head wished to see them all together again.

"He was over there," there was a gesturing of hands, one finger jumping through a circle to indicate a portal, "I tried to invite Kieko, but she has some big test this week, plus ya know she was upset Urameshi bailed on her for over there," he rubbed the back of his neck, sighing in exasperation.

"He is not the most reliable of boyfriends is he?," sighing the red head shook his head. Sometimes he wondered why exactly the couple were still together, besides the fact that they loved each other, they did not have much in common.

"Not really," Yukina admitted, before shaking her her head, "I feel so bad for their relationship sometimes,"

"What's wrong with it?," Sayomi asked once they'd sat down. The young men were playing with the screen, adding all of their names quickly, deciding the order of the bowl. Yukina was to go first to show her how to bowl and then she would go, followed by Kurama and then Kuwabara.

"It's rather complicated," the ice maiden murmured, moving to take her turn. Sayomi watched as the she picked a ball, a lighter one, only twelve pounds, before standing in front of the white line. Ten pins were at the end of the lane. Yukina took a deep breath before taking a few steps back, winding her pale right arm back, her left foot taking a step forward. She swung her arm forward, releasing the ball closest to the ground. It raced down the lane quickly, hitting the pins with an obvious smack; seven fell.

Sayomi made to get up, but Kurama's hand on her shoulder stopped her, "she still has another turn, the goal is to knock all ten pins down,"

They waited for the ball to come back up through the machine, the machine counting the pins before placing them back. This time when Yukina released the ball, she only managed to hit one pin, two still standing.

"You were so close my darling!," Kuwabara exclaimed, giving her a high five.

"Thank you Kazuma," a faint blush rose against her cheeks, "your turn Sayomi,"

"I'd suggest an eight pound ball," the red head spoke softly, his emerald eyes landing on her abdomen, "your child is quite strong for being so undeveloped," he spoke softly, a small smile across his face.

"I wasn't sure if you could sense it or not,"

"Kuwabara, my sense isn't as developed as your's," the human in question shrugged a little, "I can smell her pregnancy," Kurama's eyes glittered.

"Foxes do have a keen sense of smell," Yukina spoke, watching as Sayomi selected an eight pound ball, weighing the ball carefully in her hands.

"You're a fox then?," she asked, before taking her place at the white line. In her mind she envisioned Yukina, how she had moved only moments before. It hadn't looked difficult to bowl, just throw the ball, hit the ten pins, how hard was that.

"Yes, I am," Kurama said from behind her, as she winded her arm up, took a step forward and swung her arm forward.

Luck was not on her side.

Sayomi had not realized the ball would be so locked on to her fingers, had not even thought the ball would not release her hand in the downward swing, but as the ball pitched forward, completely connected to her hand, she suddenly felt off balance. The eight pounds was not much, but enough to send her in a forward dip, unable to catch herself as she fell, her dominate hand so entangled in the ball's clutches as it was. Managing to tip her body so her right shoulder would catch her fall instead of the front of her, she landed rather hard, a hard thump as she smacked her head on the smooth wooden floor. She saw stars for a moment, her head hurt.

"Holy shit!," Kuwabara was shouting, his large rough hands shaking her left shoulder, "are you okay?,"

"I-i am fine," Yukina's cool hands were touching her forehead as she spoke, while her fall did hurt, it wasn't a horrible injury by all means, just a fall.

"Give her some air everyone," Kurama's voice was the voice of reason, as other people attending the bowling alley had begun to circle around them, someone who worked there had even run over in worry, "Will you give us some ice, for her head?," the red head instructed the man.

"Maybe bowling wasn't such a good idea," she spoke, trying to force a smile to her overly worried friends. Shaking her head, she scooted until she was sitting on her ass, her hand resting over her womb. She sent her unborn son a flicker of energy, his responded in kind, gobbling it up.

"Are you hurt anywhere?," Yukina was asking, her cherry eyes wide in worry.

"Don't worry little one is greedy as always," giggling a little, Sayomi felt a headache coming on, "my head hurts though," she frowned.

"Here," Kurama was holding a baggie of ice in front of her, his other hand offered to help her up. Taking his hand, he pulled her up quickly, Kuwabara's large hands ready to catch her if she swayed. She did not.

The group guided her to the chairs, Yukina ensuring the few humans watching in earnest that Sayomi would be fine, watching as they all finally returned to their games.

"I can't heal you right now, they're still watching," Yukina whispered in her ear, a human male choosing to look over and stare at her.

"It's alright," she pressed the ice to her aching head, rolling her right shoulder a little to ease the soreness. It wasn't bad at all, even if she did have quite the headache. There was nothing wrong with her, that a bag of ice and a few minutes of peace wouldn't cure. "Don't stop playing on my account," she spoke finally, waving her hand for Kurama to take his turn.

"But-," She cut Yukina off.

"No point in wasting the money you spent to play, I am quite comfortable here," she smiled brightly, her head flaring a little, "I may play the next round," she joked.

"She has a point," Kurama finally spoke, choosing to take his turn.

"You won't mind?," the ice maiden asked, her face scrunched up in worry.

"It's still fun to watch,"

Sayomi did not mind watching, Kuwabara got quite competitive after he took his turn. It was fun to watch, especially when the human got a 'strike', knocking all ten pins down at once. He had jumped up and down, making noises of happiness. Yukina had laughed, her hand moving to cover her laughter. Even Kurama seemed to enjoy himself, attempting to out do Kuwabara at all turns. The fox had incredible aim with the ball, getting more strikes than any of them.

 _I've spent most of my life watching._ Sayomi thought, her brow furrowing in thought. Her job had always been to watch over her master, to watch the future, to watch how people reacted. While she did not mind watching, the seer suddenly wanted to do more than watch. These group of people were having so much fun playing a simple game, something she did not even believe she had ever done in the centuries she had been alive. While under her master, she had never truly had friends, she had acquaintances, people she only associated with because they were tied to her master. She had no great desire to know them.

Yet she enjoyed spending time with Yukina and Kuwabara. Every day she seen Yukina, spent the days talking and giggling, her mind thought back to how Yukina realized she liked spicy food, making sure to serve her food with extra spices because she liked it that way. When the ice maiden had announced that Kuwabara was coming to visit and take them into the city, she had been excited, not because they were going to the ccity, though that was exciting in it's own way, but because she was excited to spend some more time in the human's company. Even though she had just met Kurama, he seemed like a nice man to spend time with, someone who could be a friend if she spent enough time in his presence; he obviously cared very much for Kuwabara and Yukina.

Suddenly, Sayomi felt left out of the loop, robbed of something she could not quite place. Her whole life had been without friends, without people to enjoy her time with. Thinking of her son, she desperately wanted him to have friends, to have people to spend time with. She already knew from her visions that Yukina would have some place in her son's life, even though she was not sure exactly how the ice maiden was connected to her child besides delivering him in to this world. Maybe just maybe she would be like family to the boy.

"I think I'm feeling well enough to play," she smiled, pulling the half melted ice off her head, as the trio of bowling players finished the second game.

"That's great! We can play girls VS boys!," Kuwabara smiled, his aura brushing up against her's in comfort. He'd felt her loneliness consume her, his aura wrapping tight around her, proving that he liked her.

"You are feeling recovered?," Yukina asked worriedly, her cool hands tracing the bump on the other girl's forehead.

"Yes, I feel fine," she smiled at the ice maiden, "now Kurama will you show me how to properly release the ball?," she laughed at her own idiocy from earlier.

"Of course," the grin he sent her was all fox, full of mirth.

* * *

They were in a meeting, Mukuro, some of her advisors, and Hiei. All of them sat at the table, Mukuro being at the head, Hiei sitting directly to her right. He couldn't see the good half of her face when she turned a certain way, and he noticed absentmindedly that she deliberately did not let him see the good half. He frequently watched her out of the corner of his eyes, trying and failing to focus on the meeting about the next tournament. Even though it was still months away, open registration was to be begin soon. Obviously some of the same players were going to be signing up soon; Yusuke, Hiei, Mukuro, Yomi, Shura, and obviously Enki were some of the people already pledged to the next tournament.

He sighed, once again trying to focus on the situation at hand. Each territory were supposed to be helping to fund the tournament, offering their resources and ideal locations for the next one. They were roughly halfway done with the meeting when a messenger knocked on the door.

"What is it!?," Mukuro demanded angrily, her mindset still angry from her argument with Hiei. It had been a few days, but neither of them had spoken to the other. Hiei had chosen to sleep in trees nearby the traveling fortress and atop it when it was moving quickly over the land of Demon World.

"I have a message for Lord Hiei," the messenger shrank back at his lord's tone, literally shaking in his shoes. He was just a lowly demon doing a lowly demons job to support his lowly demon family. "I was told to give it to him as soon as possible,"

"Give it to me," he growled, wondering who on earth would wish to get a message to him now. Yusuke had given him the information already, and Kurama knew better than to send a messenger, he would just come in person. The messenger handed off the parchment of paper, before scurrying out of arms reach and through the big great doors of the meeting room.

"What is so important to disrupt this meeting?," the lord demanded, her good eyes focusing on him for the first time in several days, in other circumstances the fire demon would have been glad, but now it just annoyed him. The other advisers at the table had also turned to him, expectant. Some of them enjoyed when their lord fought with her mate to be, he had spurned many of them in his quest for power.

"It's from Human World," suddenly fear gripped him. Who was this from? What did they want? Was it about Sayomi? What if it had things he wished to keep a secret from most of the people at the table, including his mate to be. If she ever found out about the whore and her unborn child...

There were no obvious markings or seals to give away any information about who had sent it or the letters inside. He briefly wondered if he should tuck it away and read later, claiming it was from Yusuke again, but he knew that would not work. Mukuro was looking at him now, a glare hitting him hard. She had patience for this, no patience for any interruptions, and even now she was simply looking to exert her will over him.

"Well read it," it wasn't a request.

And so he did.

* * *

I am so sorry for the delay everyone! My boyfriend was sick and I've been feeling rather unwell! I apologize! I wonder if anyone will get any of the number references in this chapter. :) I'm terribly excited about that part. lol Thank you sooooo much to everyone who reviews! It makes me happy that other people are enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it! :)

Until next time!


	11. Arc I: Sonogram

_Word Count: 8209_

 _Release and Completion Date: March 29th, 2016_

 _I own nothing, but Sayomi and her little one :D_

* * *

 _Hiei,_

 _Yukina is ill._

 _-Nagging old woman_

Hiei did not hesitate. Did not even wait until the meeting was over. The words dropped from his mouth to the council like a waterfall. Quick and heavy. Mukuro's one good eye turning soft, the rest of the counsel growing confused as they looked upon him. The paper caught ablaze in his hand. His body growing warm. His mate to be nodded carefully, his body disappearing in a flash of black towards the nearest portal. His jagan burned through carefully constructed wards.

Yukina was ill.

* * *

Sayomi's eyes focused on the sonogram photo, her bright eyes catching the little details of her son inside her womb.

"He's so little," she breathed quietly. Fingers traced the outline of his body, a smile lighting up her face. A feeling of contentment washed over her in those moments.

The seer sat in her room at the temple, wrapped up in a quilt Yukina had found stashed away some where. It was mid November and the days grew shorter and much colder. It was one of the few times Yukina was not hovering by her side. The two had grown quite inseparable the more time she spent in the temple and while it did not bother her, quite the opposite, the ice maiden made a wonderful friend, it was a wonderful thing to be alone with her sonogram photo.

She was nearly giggling in happiness that she had actually got a proper examination of her child; Genkai and Kurama had pulled a few strings to have someone come all the way to the temple. Genkai had asked an old doctor friend to check her over while Kurama had 'borrowed' a sonogram machine from his step-father's company.

Though she was sixteen weeks, the earliest they could tell the gender, her son had been turned in the other direction, unable to confirm her beliefs that her son was in fact male for everyone else.

* * *

" _From the size, you are sixteen weeks and four days along," the doctor was saying, using the wand of the sonogram machine to peer in to her womb. The woman doctor was old, maybe older than Genkai, but like Genkai, her hands were steady, her mind sharp for being so old. She readjusted her glasses easily on her narrow face. Her gray, nearly white hair was cut short in a bob style. "Maybe a little further,"_

 _She felt weird, not uncomfortable, but not natural either. The cold table they had found in a spare room made for a makeshift patient examination table. She wore a borrowed pair of Kuwabara's sweat pants wore rather low on her hip bones, under her growing bump; ever since the weekend it had gotten too cold for skirts, everyone bundled up now. Her shirt was lifted over the obvious bump but under her breasts, showing it off for the world to see. The jell had been cold on her stomach, a chill filling her._

 _Yukina sat next to her, staring at the screen in wonder. Her icy hand, traced the image once, before patting Sayomi's abdomen once. It had become a habit for the ice maiden to touch her abdomen, almost as if she was hoping to catch the child there moving. Genkai also was in the room, when they had plugged the sonogram machine in, she'd complained how high her electric bill would go up from the thing, rolling her eyes, but a small smile did light up her face when the child flickered across the screen. The old woman sat in a corner away, but still watching._

 _Kurama had set the machine up with some assistance from Kuwabara, before the two men hurrying from the room. This was 'girl time' as Kuwabara had muttered. They had disappeared to arrange a delivery of oil from the town at the bottom of the mountain._

" _Can you tell the sex?," Yukina asked, her cherry eyes wide in wonder. She seemed happy that Sayomi had allowed her to stay, had actually asked her to stay with her. To see the baby within her for the first time. It was a special moment for the two women and the ice maiden was overwhelmed with happiness._

" _I'm not sure," there was a pause, the doctor's eyes scrunched in concentration, moving the wand all over Sayomi's womb, "It's not facing us, could be either female or male."_

" _Looks like the little brat doesn't want you to know," Genkai grunted, barking out a small laugh._

" _He's a boy," Sayomi huffed, her silver eyes focusing on the screen. She silently hoped her son would turn over and prove her right._

" _Regardless," the doctor cut their silly argument short, "the child seems healthy, no noticeable birth defects."_

" _That's wonderful," the ice maiden smiled graciously to her friend, patting her hand once again. She knew how much Sayomi had begun to worry that her child would not be normal, mostly from his core not being fed by both parents. It had weighed on her heavily._

" _But, you should still be careful, no heavy lifting," the doctor was writing on a piece of paper, "I'm writing a script for prenatal vitamins. They'll make sure the baby and you are getting all the nutrients you need," she paused again, handing the paper to Sayomi, "I would like to come back next month for another exam, can that be arranged?," she raised an eyebrow in question._

" _I do not know..." Sayomi spoke carefully, she was not sure if Kurama could once again get the sonogram machine to Genkai's. It was enough that the fox demon had deemed it a plausible idea to borrow it in the first place. She had only expressed interest in seeing her son and the next week, Kurama and Kuwabara were lugging the heavy and monstrous box up the stairs of Genkai's mountain._

 _About broke their backs._

" _Kurama had already expressed that we may 'borrow'," Genkai smirked, "the sonogram machine indefinitely," she sipped from her cup of tea._

" _Then it is settled," the doctor was cleaning her tools up, sending a smile to the happy mother, "I will return the nineteenth of December for another examination, we should be able to tell the sex by then."_

" _I can not express my gratitude for you coming all this way," sliding her shirt over her baby bump, the seer shook the doctor's hand. It was true, the visit had quieted some of her fears. From the sonogram images, her son seemed healthy, whole. His tiny body had moved somewhat in side of her, turning from side to side. Obviously on the surface nothing was wrong with her son, fear uncoiling in her stomach easily._

" _It was no trouble," the doctor spoke softly, Sayomi wondered how she was friends with Genkai. "You and your partner," there was a nod to Yukina, "will have a fine child to raise together, you both love it very much. Makes me content to help such loving parents," she smiled largely at them, mischief playing across her face._

 _Behind Sayomi, Yukina stiffened, her mouth falling open in shock._

" _Have a good day ladies, Genkai," she nodded and turned swiftly for the door._

" _Goodbye my old friend," Genkai was openly smirking, laughter playing at the edges of her lips._

" _Also you may wish to wash the jelly off of your stomach from the sonogram," the doctor laughed a little as she exited. Genkai barked out a small laugh._

 _Maybe one did not have to wonder how the two old women were friends._

* * *

"You still believe it is a boy?," Kurama asked, standing in the doorway of her room. He leaned against the door, surprising her. He moved quietly, often popping up around corners, sliding doors open with little to no notice. He was light on his feet, never quite able to pinpoint his whereabouts, unlike his human friend.

"I do not believe, I know," she grinned at him, her eyes flashing to him, before returning to her photo. She could not stop looking at it, mesmerized by it. Sayomi had never seen anything so beautiful, her son safe inside of her, growing strong. Every day she hoped to feel him move inside her, but she was just reaching the weeks where that was possible, but she hoped to feel him soon.

"Have you picked a name?," he nodded, sending her a small smile. The red head examined her, his eyes taking in her form, the growing belly, the blushing of her skin. He absentmindedly realized she had beautiful skin, but he was not sure if was the pregnancy glow or just her natural skin. His sensitive nose could smell the hormones coming from her in droves, her natural scent, mixing with the still forming one of her baby. She smelled almost like a burning fire mixed with a plant he had not smelled in years. Something deadly when ingested, his mind turned over the name quickly, 'anisu', was the flower's name. Kurama did not think it fit her.

"Yukina says I should name the baby 'Yuki', if it's a girl," a quick giggle escaped her lips, "but he is a boy," she trailed off, closing her eyes in thought, "but I can not pick a name for him, so I refer to him as little one," she smiled at him again, fidgeting just a little.

"Kuwabara or I will have to bring a book of baby names next time we visit," he said quietly, moving to look at the sonogram photo in her hands. Kurama smiled coyly, tucking a strand of his red hair behind his ear; contentment filled him. It made him happy that he could make the silver eyes woman so happy. That was something that his years in Human World had cultivated; a compassionate heart for those deemed worthy and even some that were not worthy of it. _  
_

"That would be wonderful," smiling, she paused, "Thank you for the sonogram machine, you do not know how much I appreciate it," she fiddled with the photo in her hand, "I was growing increasingly worried for him, the sonogram put my mind at ease," her cheeks went rosy. "If you ever need anything..." she trailed off, while she may not have much she could offer him something...

"I am glad that I could bring you comfort," Kurama smiled, "Do not feel indebted to me, it was nothing. It would be selfish of me not to offer my help," he held up his hands.

"Still, you did me a great favor today," she sighed, wondering if she would ever know not owe her newly discovered group of friends anything. Kuwabara was always helping her physically, offering his aura for comfort. Yukina was a constant companion, helping her feed the core of her son. And now Kurama was providing equipment to benefit her son and herself.

They were a great group of people; even Genkai was there for her, offering her a place to stay.

"Do not think anything of it," he offered her his hand to pull her to her feet, "Yukina has lunch ready, the main kitchen is much warmer than in here." His lips turned down into a frown, while Yukina was an ice maiden and could deal with the colder elements of the Winter, Sayomi was not. He noticed that she had already begun to wear multiple layers, Genkai may have to do more this Winter to warm her temple.

"Are you cold?," the red head asked they walked to breakfast, trailing beside her. His nose kept catching glimpses of Hiei's scent mixed within the woman, almost as if he was there. He knew it had been several months since the fire demon had come to Human World, almost too long, despite Hiei's general hatred of humans.

"It is alright," she sighed, rubbing her palms together, "Yukina keeps most of the cold away, and little one has fire demon in him," she patted her belly once, grinning up at him, "so he's like carrying a heater with me." While she was kept warm enough by Yukina and her son, her hands and feet still felt the cold.

Kurama did not believe her, he could see her finger tips losing color. Sighing, he reached for her left hand, the one closest to him, and with his other hand pulled a seed from his hair. Allowing some of his energy to flow into the seed, he felt it grow rather hot, almost burning, before depositing it into her upraised palm.

"It's warm," she cooed, her eyes marveling at it, the seer turned the seed over and over in her hands, rubbing it between her palms. "How did you do this?," she asked.

"I control plants, that is a rare seed from Demon World, it is grown in colder climates. It gives off a certain amount of heat to stay alive. When it blooms it most resembles a sunflower," he instructed her.

"Thank you," Sayomi continued to rub it between her fingers. A sense of contentment filled her, her son's energy mingling with her own as well. The little one within her seemed to sense her emotions, his own energy happier, less greedy when she seemed so light. It was strange, she thought, that he seemed so aware so early in his development. She had not even reached the halfway mark of her pregnancy yet.

"You're welcome," Kurama chuckled, the woman was a mystery. The other's had told him how Hiei had just dropped her off here one morning, not ties of family or friends, just to give her a safe haven. It had not taken Kurama long to realize the child within her womb was the fire demon's, the unborn smelled distinctly of Hiei. His friend had not returned to see her either, which in itself was not surprising considering he was to be mated to Mukuro.

But the fox demon did not approve of Hiei's actions. He felt the fire demon should at least reach out to the woman, offer her more than money to simply disappear. The child was a part of him, something that would one day wish to reach out. And by ignoring this, the fire demon was closing off all parts to one day having a relationship with the child. Years down the road if he waited to let it all come out it would be worse for everyone. The child may want nothing to do with him, may be bitter and angry. Mukuro would be even more furious that he had kept this a secret from her. It was a rather large mess the fire demon was creating instead of being honest about the whole thing.

Kurama sighed, Yusuke and Hiei were making many of the same mistakes.

His mind thought over when Yusuke had appeared in his apartment one day, rather early to be honest. The former human had been all worked up, despite himself in anger and sadness. His words came tumbling out of his mouth in great big gasps. Yusuke had slept with a demon whore in a brothel while on a mission with Hiei from Koenma. The fox had suggested that Yusuke be honest with Kieko, tell her the truth, it would be a better alternative to living with the guilt of his mistake. And what if Kieko one day found out, she would feel even more betrayed?

Hiei had not come to him like Yusuke, but he could see the parallels between the two. Yusuke had mentioned that Hiei had also fucked a woman there, but Yusuke did not know that Hiei had fathered a child. It was a mess that was turning into full out chaos.

Kurama just hoped both men came clean.

* * *

Lunch was not as quiet as usual.

For starters, Kuwabara was griping about some kind of homework in biology. He could not understand something to do with how cells broke down, turned cancerous. His teacher wanted him to write an essay on three different kinds of cancer, how they formed, what exactly did they do to they body they were affecting, treatment options, all those kinds of things. It was maddening. He had come to Genkai's to relax, but he needed to make headway on the essay. His textbooks were strung across the table, open to different pages, no one had much room to eat.

"We're trying to have a meal!," Genkai barked, slamming her bowl down on one of Kuwabara's books, the rice splattering on one of the pages with a sloppy sound.

"Those are expensive!," the human whined, pulling the textbook from under her bowl, carefully picking the rice off the pages. He sent the old woman a dirty look, which she returned in full.

"Get them off the table!," she growled, making a shooing motion with her hands, "I want to eat!" Her expression was murderous, her gray pink eyes narrowing in anger.

"This essay is due Monday! I don't understand any of this!," he grumbled at her, scribbling some notes down in his notebook.

"I said I would help you after we eat," Kurama reminded him, holding his hands up with the human glared at him mildly. He knew how much stress Kuwabara was under, his final exams for the semester were right around the corner. And then next semester was his last one before he got his degree. He needed to score high to get into any good Veterinary schools; the human hoped to place well enough to qualify for a scholarship.

"That doesn't help me now," he grumbled, scratching away at the paper. His stress levels were nearing an all time high.

"Kazuma, I'm sure it may wait," Yukina spoke softly, her pale hands reaching across the table to pull Kuwabara's pencil from his hand. She smiled innocently at him, pulling another of his textbooks out of her eating space so she could set her bowl down. "We would all like to eat, you need to keep your strength up," she reminded him, "you can not expect to do well without food," she blushed a little when the human took her hand between his own much larger hands.

"You are right Yukina, my love!," he announced proudly, his own cheeks red. Everyone around the table shook their heads, as Kuwabara dug into his bowl of rice.

 _Yukina can get Kuwabara to do anything,_ Sayomi thought, hiding her secret smile aimed at the couple behind her napkin. She much enjoyed their antics, especially when the human proclaimed his love for the ice maiden. The seer was not too sure of Yukina's own feelings, Kuwabara's were obvious a mile away, but the other girl's were secretive. She thought that Yukina enjoyed his attention, the blushes and sometimes shyness was obvious, but did she return the human's feelings of love as deeply? Or did she just feel friendship for the gentle giant?

She took notice of the way Yukina's big cherry eyes watched Kuwabara, a happiness grew there, softness that only Kuwabara got. _She does care,_ she thought.

"So had anyone heard from Shrimpy?," Kuwabara asked between mouthfuls. He was on his second bowl of rice and chicken. His head snapped up after a moment, his eyes darting to Sayomi, an apology already on his lips. They tried not to bring the fire demon up in front of her, feeling it was out of place.

"It does not bother me," she said simply, waving her hand in a fanning motion as if to wave their concerns away, "Hiei is your friend first, just because he fathered my son does not mean anything," she ran her fingers over her shirt.

"We do not want to upset you," Yukina looked a little paniced, sending glances at Kurabara as if to say _'why did you bring him up?'._

"Why would it upset me?," Sayomi raised her eyebrow in question, looking between her friends in confusion.

"Because he is not here," Kurama said simply, stating a fact that was painfully obvious.

"I can not control that," it was true. She could not control Hiei's decisions or actions. What the fire demon wanted to do, he would do. Nothing she wanted or said could change the fact.

"Yeah, but we shouldn't bring it up anyway, Shrimps kind of a bastard anyway," Kuwabara looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. Kurama was glaring at him a little for bringing it up.

"Whether he is a 'bastard' or not does not matter, he has given me a gift I am happy about," she tried to smile to reassure them that it was okay. Hiei had given her her son and for that she was happy, happy that she got a child out of the deal. Being a mother was something she had never expected, or really yearned for, but now that it was at her fingertips, she wanted it desperately, more than she had ever wanted anything.

"You can't say it doesn't upset ya that he's not helping," the human looked at her, his aura brushing her's. He tasted the emotions in her aura, surprise filling his own, when he felt her contentment.

"I did not expect him to be here," it was a half lie. While she did not expect him to be a part of her pregnancy or even the life she forged afterward, she wanted it.

"Do not lie," Kurama spoke softly, his nose picking up the lie in the air. Her whole smell changed. Resting his face in his plan, he stared at her.

"I did not expect him to be here, I am lucky he allowed my son to live," it ran out of her mouth quickly, before she could force her lips closed. The seer had gotten pretty close to admitting where exactly she had come from in Demon World. For some reason she did not want her new friends to know she came from a Brothel. Would they judge her? Or would it not even matter to them? They were questions that she did not want an answer to; it was easier to allow them to wonder.

And anyways, the reasons behind why she was sent to the Brothel were things she could not talk about. Even if she no longer served her master, even if he had been the one to sell her to the Brothel for punishment, she could not talk about it. That time in her life, basically had been her life, that she had served him was a secret, something that she knew she could not talk about. Too many secrets would become unraveled.

"What do you mean Sayomi?," Yukina asked, her voice confused.

"He wanted me to have an abortion at first," the words hung in the air for a few moments. Everyone around the table looked shocked, besides Genkai who seemed as if her suspicions had been confirmed.

"That fuckin' bastard!," Kuwabara growled, before noticing the women in the room, "Sorry ladies," he looked a little sheepish, scratching at his cheek with his fingers. He mostly looked at Yukina, his eyes darting to both Sayomi, who shrugged, and Genkai.

"You didn't offend me moron," Genkai rolled her eyes.

"I am not bothered by his wishes," Sayomi finally spoke after a moment of silence, "In the end he allowed me to keep my son,"

"That is still pretty awful of him," Kurama spoke softly, his eyes angry. When he saw Hiei they would have a few words.

"I understand though," she said, her silver eyes staring down at her plate. She did understand, the fire demon had a mate to be in Demon World, why would he risk arousing suspicion with her?

"He hasn't even come to see you," Kuwabara said, anger rumbling deep through his bones. Hiei was not the best of people, not even a decent person a lot, but he had never shown to be that cold hearted to force her to abort their child. The human tried to sooth his mind that the fire demon had not actually gone through with it, that his newest friend was still sitting across from him pregnant with the shrimp's baby in her.

"I did not expect him too," she sighed a little. While she did not expect him too, a apart of her wished to see him. As motherhood grew on her, she wished that the fire demon could have a part in this as well. She did not expect them to be a proper family, they would be a dysfunctional one, but she wanted her son to know his father. She wanted him to have some kind of relationship besides anger with the man who had sired him. She did not remember ever having a family, and she desperately wanted her son to have a whole family. Sayomi would do anything for her son, but she knew that without having his father present in his life, he would be missing some aspects of a normal childhood, things only father's understood.

"But I wish he would know my little one," she spoke quitely, her finger tips tracing her bump carefully. Would Hiei ever care to know their son or would he rather never know, just offer them money like he was doing now? Would he even come to see her again before the baby was born? Would he come if news was given to him that he was born?

The seer had searched visions of the future for answers, but none came. They were so murky these days, it seemed. It both angered and frustrated her. Sayomi had never searched for answers to her mind's troubled state so hard before. When she'd been under her master it had always been for him, but now she thought of things for herself and it was hard. It was if her visions did not want to cooperate, everything they showed her was cloudy, just the tiniest glimpses of things to come, never anything concrete or solid.

The only thing that comforted her was that her son was always safe in the images. He was never harmed, never sickly. Always well.

Her vision that worried her most was the one where Hiei had carried her, it still fluttered across her mind when she searched, the blood dripping from her toes scared her. She couldn't make sense of it, or understand where it was coming from. Parts of her worried now that her brain just sent her the image, that it really was not a vision.

"I'm sure Hiei will come around," Yukina spoke up at last. Her cherry eyes focused on Sayomi carefully, her voice full of conviction, "He may not be the most..." she seemed to struggle for a word to describe the fire demon, "kind hearted of people, but he is honorable. He will come back," she smiled, before adding as an afterthought, "...eventually."

"Well he needs to be honorable now rather than later," Kuwabara grumbled, glaring daggers at no one in particular. The human may have liked Hiei, called him a friend even, but sometimes the fire demon was a real asshole.

"I agree," the fox spoke up as well. "Hiei could use a family," _finally tell Yukina as well_ , "he should be here helping you form the child's core." Kurama knew it was a bit of stretch, but the fire demon should know his son and the woman raising him. But he also knew that Hiei would not just suddenly agree to help.

"Hiei will come around in his own time," Genkai drew all their attention, smirking over her cup of tea. There was a mystery in her eyes, mischief dancing there.

"Why do you say that? Hiei's kind of stubborn," Kuwabara asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"Just a hunch," the old lady sent them all another smirk.

* * *

Hiei landed in the courtyard of Genkai's temple rather quietly. The fall breeze ruffled his hair, blowing the leaves across the temple stones. The Buddhist statues all seemed to eye him. If he was a creature that believed in bad omens, he would be feeling the ominous feel at the moment.

The jagan detected other forms of energy besides his own, five to be exact. The icy white energy of his sister was the first one he searched for, easily distinguishing them from the other's. It was weak, weaker than he'd ever felt it before. He was mildly surprised to feel both the hot ragged golden energy of Kuwabara and Kurama's rather subdued calm green energy as well, so very close to his sister. Genkai's rather strange energy a mix of blue and gold was on the far side of the temple, away from the others.

The last energy was, had to be the whore, Sayomi's. Her energy wasn't stronger that Kurama's or Kuwabara's, but defiantly stronger than his sister's. It shown brightly, silver mixed with a deep purple and red; he found his sister's icy white energy mixed in with her own. He never paid attention to it the two times he had met her, it was strange, but now he honed on in the fact that his sister's energy intermingled rather intimately with her's.

Anger flared within him, a smidge of worry for Yukina battling along side the anger.

He felt Kuwabara notice him first, Kurama not too far behind. Both energies spiked with surprise, before a sudden hot burst from Kuwabara flared wildly, almost striking out at him. There was a clear message of stay away, but he ignored it, choosing to head towards the temple quickly.

Kuwabara met him at the porch steps, the human dressed rather simply. Jeans and sneakers with a thick blue jacket covering his torso, his arms crossed over his broad chest. A rather harsh glare shown across his face, his aura flaring with anger. Hiei found it strange, why would such anger be directed at him? He had done nothing to the human, but if he continued to stand in his way, he would do plenty. Kuwabara had allowed his sister to fall ill.

"Hey Shrimp, how are you?," Kuwabara had felt Hiei coming as soon as he entered Human World through the portal. The human had only stayed with the other's until he was sure that Hiei was coming towards their direction. The girls had been playing go fish while Kurama helped him write his essay for biology. He was still angry that the fire demon had tried to force Sayomi to have an abortion and when he had headed in their direction, the human all but ran to meet him, the girls rather shocked.

"Hn," he tried to pass the human, but a barrier of energy across the door stopped him. It seemed Kuwabara had learned a new skill since the last time he had seen the human demonstrate his abilities. He about growled, he wanted to be sure Yukina was safe.

"Don't give me that shit Hiei," Kuwabara about growled it out, secretly pleased Hiei had been stopped by his barrier.

"What idiotic motion are you on now?," Hiei growled at. His back was to the human who was still standing by the porch steps, he felt the human turn to face him, felt the glare on his back.

"Force anyone pregnant with your kid to have an abortion lately, eh Shrimp?," Kuwabara kept his arms crossed over his chest, raising an eyebrow. He watched Hiei literally growl, if he were a cat, the fur at his shoulders would have raised.

"What the fuck are you muttering about?," turning quickly, he faced Kuwabara, hands clasped in fists at his side. So Kuwabara knew about Sayomi then. Knew he had knocked her up, exactly how much had the whore told him? Why had she told them anything? Maybe he should have left her in the brothel.

"I'm talking about Sayomi! Ya know the woman whose alone and pregnant with your kid who you haven't seen since you dumped her here!," he was shaking, anger pooling in the pit of his stomach. Ever since he had met the pregnant woman he made the trip every weekend from his hometown to visit the girls. Kurama had come the last two weekends as well, enjoying the peace that came with being at the temple. From his time with Sayomi it was obvious she was alone and scared, even if the pregnant woman did not realize it herself. She did not know exactly what to do with her life in Human World and along side the issues regarding her son's core, she was even more afraid for her son. An issue that could be easily resolved if Hiei had at least came and checked up on her.

"That is none of your business,"

"Yeah you're right, it;s your's!," he pointed his right index finger at the much shorter fire demon in anger.

"You imbecile!," in a flash of anger the fire demon leaped across the space between the two of them, swinging his sword in a down stroke.

Kuwabara dodged neatly, jumping over the porch's banister. He landed in the courtyard, pulling his spirit sword from his body as Hiei came at him again. He made sure to maintain the barrier blocking Hiei from the temple. This was not going to be over until he said it was over.

* * *

This was how Kurama, Sayomi, and Yukina found them. The two men fighting in the courtyard of Genkai's temple, Kuwabara had thrown his jacket at one point, it lay in the dead grass away from them, Hieis cloak nearby as well. While they watched for a moment, Hiei dived from the air, nearly slicing the human's arm off, but he moved out of the way at the last second. Genkai stood on the same banister Kuwabara had jumped off, her hands behind her back, her lips in a grim line.

"Well I guess I should put an end to this," Kurama finally said, shaking his head in disbelief. The two had not seen each other in months, maybe a year and here they were fighting within five minutes of seeing each other. Some things never changed. Pulling off his own jacket, he rested it over the banister besides Genkai, he headed down the steps.

"I hope neither of them get terribly hurt," the ice maiden spoke softly, her fingers tightening on the banister railing, her body half leaning over the railing.

"I'm sure they will be fine," Sayomi promised, her voice much more steady than she felt. On one hand she was worried for her human friend and on the other a deep anger filled her upon finally seeing Hiei. It had been months since he had dumped her at Genkai's temple and while she was quite happy he had done so, there was no excuse not to at least tell her he had sent money or keep some kind of contact. The part of her that knew his reasons, knew that he had a mate to be and knew that he had already done the honorable thing by giving her a place to call him and sending money warred with the part of her that as the father of her child he should reach out and do more.

She bite her lip, her right hand sprawled across her ever growing baby bump, the other reaching out to hold Yukina's hand securely. The ice maiden sent her a small smile as a thank you before her cherry eyes returned to the fight, Kurama jumping into the fray.

At the small bit of comfort she offered Yukina, her son seemed to awake. His energy reached out, mingling with all the energies in the air, his own seeming to lock onto Yukina, her own energy, and what little he could of Hiei's. It was as if the baby within her womb was confused, not sure who to draw from. Only once had he been able to touch upon his sire's energy, every other time it had been Yukina or his mother who offered up their energy for him to gobble up. Finally as if deciding, causing his mother to gasp, the baby within her focused all of his efforts onto the fire demon.

Hiei would not admit it but avoiding both Kuwabara who only focused on him and Kurama who worked to subdue both of them was difficult. The human was much stronger than the last time he had seen him fight, it confused him, especially since he had heard Kuwabara had given up fighting for higher learning.

He was just dodging an uppercut from Kuwabara, when the energy hit him like a semi-truck. He swayed a little, his left foot catching him quickly, he hopped on that foot for a moment. Shaking his head quickly his red eyes found her.

The whore had not changed much, her long black hair was longer he noticed. Her left hand held his sister's hand, who looked strangely well, not ill like Genkai had written. He frowned a little at that, had it been a lie?

Her body looked mostly unchanged, except for baby bump that peeked through her shirt. He could not help but stare at it, the curve of her body, exposing the evidence of their coupling for the world to see. It partially fascinated him, he created another living being, but disgusted him at the same time, shame washing his anger away rather quickly. The evidence of his cheating was obvious and no longer hidden. The aura of the baby inside of the woman was so much like his own, so very similar. There would be no qualms over his parentage.

But her eyes were still the dominate part of her face he noticed as he drug his eyes away from the source of his guilt. Silver met his own, her's were wide and open and accusing. She seemed happy to see him, but angry as well. He focused his eyes to take her all in, her skin glowed from the pregnancy, her face seemed fuller, he found it fit her. Her nipples poked through her shirt a little, it was strange to see her in human clothing.

At her hard nipples he felt his body react.

Kuawabara's fist caught his face rather hard, the fire demon sliding back across the dirt. He growled, welcoming the distraction. Spitting the blood from his mouth, he prepared to charge the smug looking human.

"Now gentlemen, don't you think we shouldn't fight in front of ladies?," Kurama's smooth voice caught their attention, a smirk light up the fox's face. It was then that they noticed they could not move. They were caught in the red head's plants, a vine wrapping around both of their ankles, disappearing into their skin over a vein. "I'm controlling your nervous system, so please promise to behave and I will remove the plants," his smile grew, seriousness in his emerald eyes.

"Damn it Kurama!," Kuwabara grumbled, before sighing, "I'll behave if he does," he used his eyes to gesture to the fire demon.

"Hn," the fire demon grunted, rolling his eyes.

"Hiei..." The smooth fox of the fox was full of threat as he released Kuwabara; he toppled forward, suddenly off balance. He caught himself before he face planted into the ground. Clearly the fire demon's answer was not satisfactory.

"I promise to behave," he ground out, glaring daggers. It was not long before he felt his body being released and his body wavered a little, but he had better balance than the human and managed to right his body before toppling forward.

"Why don't we all go inside where it is warm?," nodding towards the temple, the red head headed towards the door. Kuwabara bounded after him after grabbing his jacket. Hiei followed along behind them. Genkai had already disappeared to parts unknown, uninterested now that the fighting had ended.

Hiei watched as his sister went to Kuwabara, her hands resting on a cut along the human's arm. It was shallow, but her white energy flared at her fingertips quickly. Studying and with the jagan's help, he noticed how hard it was for his sister to pull her energy to her fingers, how weak she was afterward. The ice maiden sighed, tired, before Kuwabara interlocked their arms, giving her some semblance of a crutch, leading her inside. His sister's cherry eyes, identical to his own, found him before she headed inside. They were worried, and a trace of anger held his gaze. It was strange; he had never seen his sister angry at anyone and now it was focused on him.

Hiei found that he did not like it.

Sayomi touched his arm as he walked past her, before pulling her hand back quickly, holding it to her chest as if she had been burned.

The minute her skin had touched his own, a current had passed between them, almost like being shocked, it's doing, Hiei guessed.

"May we talk?," Sayomi asked quietly, holding her arms tight around herself. She had not dressed to come outside and the cold was bothering her. Her son's core had been well fed today, Yukina had donated some of her energy shortly before they had come outside, so he was not drowning her in unbearable heat.

"Hn," he wanted to check on his sister, but a part of him felt obligated to listen to what the woman wanted. Idly he noticed, Kurama slide the door shut behind the group as they went inside, giving them a measurement of privacy. It was quiet now, the fall breeze blowing around them. Cherry eyes caught the goosebumps along the woman's arms and without thinking over it too much, he raised the temperature of the air around them.

"Thank you," cheeks turned pink as she stopped rubbing her arms to stay warm. Hefting herself up on the railing, she sat there, feeling momentarily tired. Sayomi wasn't sure where to start their conversation. It was not an easy one.

"Hn," he crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at her stomach between them. A small very tiny part of him wanted to touch it, to feel what the bump felt like.

"Why are you here?," she asked, curiously. For a moment before she asked, she had looked out over the Buddhist statues.

"Genkai sent a letter that there were complications," he lied easily, better not to tell her how much he held Yukina dear.

"There have been... a few," Sayomi was hesitant to begin, not quite sure where to begin. The breeze ruffled her hair hair, she idly thought about cutting it soon, before tucking it behind her ear again.

"Explain," he demanded, his face pinching up in thought. What could have happened? She was safe here at Genkai's. What kind of complications were there? Hiei watched her, his red eyes taking in her form, watching the wind blow her hair every which way.

"Our son," she began, before he cut her off.

"It," there was no evidence that it was male and furthermore he would not think of it as his son. Hiei would have not attachment to his offspring. He was letting it live, that was enough.

"Our son," a glare was sent his way before he could cut her off again, "requires demon energy to build his core. My own energy is not demonic,"

"Why does it matter?,"

"He is a demon," she sighed.

"Your own energy can not build the core at all?," while he knew demon children required their parents to form their cores during pregnancy, he had known that both parents were required. It made sense he realized though, if both parents were demonic than both parents were not necessarily needed. Since the mother also had demonic energy, she could build a demonic core.

"It can, but I still need demon energy to form it," she paused, her eyes cutting him, "or he will die, miscarry or be stillborn,"

"It is already too late is it not?," He asked, raising an eyebrow in question. A sudden thought engulfed him, maybe the evidence of his transgression would die before it ever had a chance to be a problem. Guilt hit him rather quickly, more quickly than he expected. It was wrong for him to wish for the death of his child, especially after his mother had labored so hard to bring him into the world.

"No," she smiled then, a bright smile, "Yukina has been donating her own energy to the core of our son,"

"How is that possible?," he asked, the answer already lodging in his mind. Yukina was his sister, his twin, they shared parentage, they shared the same DNA, of course it made sense that she could form the core of his son.

"We do not know," she paused, her own mind examining Hiei now that he was in front of her. The similarities between Yukina and Hiei were even more striking now than before, the thought that the two demons were somehow related returned to the front of her mind. Her mind's image of Hiei had dimmed in the time they had been apart. Visions may have showed his likeness, but nothing was like seeing someone in the flesh.

The demon wore the same black pants with three belts, he had worn at the Brothel, how hard it had been to get them all undone during their striping. His tank top was black as well, no sleeves. It fit him she realized and a part of her felt lust rush through her at the sight of him.

During her time at the Brothel, the pregnant woman had had some many clients, so much sex, that sex was just a job, just a deed, it did not excite her much. She was not having sex with the clients because she wished too, but because she was forced, there was no other option. The Brothel was paid for her body being sold to a man.

But with Hiei, she had freely given her body. He would not have pursued her if she had not started it. Though they were both drunk and it had not taken much convincing, the fire demon had touched her body many times that night, finally spilling his seed inside of her, more than once if she remembered correctly through the fog of alcohol. It had felt good, his body against her own, he was experienced, he knew what to do to make her body tremble in pleasure.

"You will stop allowing it to take from Yukina," he spat the words angrily. His sister was innocent in all this and did not deserve to be fed upon. His mind supplied the image of his sister, her energy spattering out, because she was weak from forming it's core.

"But he will die!," the seer exclaimed, hopping down from the railing. Her face turned desperate, angry.

"She does not deserve to be fed upon," he said calmly, trying to hold the anger from his voice. His cherry eyes traced the way the bump shifted a little when she moved, the urge to touch it again forming within him. He resisted.

"I said the same thing, but she offered," glaring at the fire demon, "he will die if she does not feed his core," she paused again, her fingers tangling in the hem of her shirt, her voice soft and low when she spoke again, "or is that what you wish?,"

The tears fell down her face rather quickly, staining her breasts through her shirt.

Guilt once again again hit Hiei. While he was rather ruthless, he did not wish to see her cry. Over the years, he had realized his honor code did not permit him to see women upset. Something within him shrunk up at the sight of a crying innocent woman, and in a way he realized she was innocent. The whore had probably never wished to be forced to work in a Brothel, to pay off some debt or simply to act out her time as a sex slave. She had never asked to become pregnant, but she had. The one thing she wanted was to have a different life, to have the child that she had not a choice in creating.

"I will help form it's core," he said at last, voice devoid of emotion. He watched as her head snapped up rather quickly, her large silver eyes focusing on his face. They seemed surprised, as if she thought he was a monster.

"You will?," Sayomi asked, afraid he would change his mind. She had wondered the few moments, the fire demon had allowed to stand there and cry in front of him if that's what he wanted. For her child to die, to erase his mistakes, if that was the case why even give her hope? Why allow her to love their son for as long as he had. She felt sick, the hormones in her body making the tears flow much faster.

"Yes," idly he watched the tears slowly stop, the woman rubbing at her face. Her skin still glowed, but her large silver eyes were puffy and red, but he noticed she was still beautiful in a sick sort of way.

Even when she cried she still out shined Mukuro easily.

The thought only made the guilt deepen.

* * *

Okay I edited this chapter, but if anyone sees any mistakes... well please point them out to me! I was feeling rather awful for being a day late once again! I am so sorry everyone!

This story is about to pick up and the format changing, moments from the pregnancy, like snippets. Also I promise there is going to be a Hiei moment next chapter with Sayomi. It's rather sweet, for what I have planned :)

Until next time!

-j.d.y.


	12. Arc I: Interlocked

I do not own anything, but Sayomi.

Word Count: 8,023

Release Date: April 5th, 2016, thought I actually finished it on the 4th!

* * *

Hiei did not flee to Demon World as soon as his talk with Sayomi ended.

The fire demon ended up following her through the temple to meet with the others.

"You have created quite a mess, Hiei," Kurama waited a while before he pulled the fire demon aside, Kuwabara's brown beady eyes watching them as they left the main room. The fox was surprised that Hiei had stayed with the group that long, but it seemed Hiei was truly worried for his sister. He had spent the majority of the afternoon watching Yukina for any signs of fatigue, noticing idly how close the Sayomi and Yukina were.

It had annoyed the fire demon. Usually when he came to visit Yukina fawned over him, always asking 'did he need anything' or 'was he comfortable'; she never strayed too far. Her eyes were always very kind when they fell on him. But not today. Her cherry red eyes were angry, an accusing look hit him every time she turned in his direction. There were no questions or asking if he needed help, just silence, almost like he was not ever there.

A part of him mourned her attention, his mouth turned down into a grimace every time she shot him one of her disappointed glares. It was as if Yukina expected more from him, as if he had personally let her down in some way.

Hiei had no doubts that the reason lay with Sayomi, especially by the blushed sympathetic glances she would shoot him with every time the ice maiden sent him one of her frosty ones. Her silver eyes strayed to him every few minutes, before she would look away fairly quickly back to one of the others or to focus on her hand of cards. They all seemed to be working to distract each other from the very obvious elephant of the room. Hiei was almost tempted to read her mind to see what caused her blushing, but chose not to waste the energy.

Kuwabara was obviously ignoring him, keeping him out of the conversation and while that suited him just fine, it was annoying. Usually the human would attempt to say something smart to him and they would argue; he much preferred that then. Now Kuwabara said nothing, would not even speak to him, purposely did not ask him anything when he went to gather the group drinks, when they had an intermission from playing the silly human game that he had not even been asked to join.

The fire demon was almost glad when Kurama pulled him aside, saying something about discussing some kind of Demon World politics.

"Hn," he shrugged a little, focusing his gaze out the window. They had walked a while around the temple before heading to Kurama's room in the temple to speak. The fire demon was not sure if it was to clear the fox's mind or his own, but he felt slightly less aggravated after the walk.

"Will you be staying for more than a few hours?," the red head asked, tilting his head to the side, hair nearly falling over his face in waves. He sat in a chair, one leg crossed over the other. His room at Genkai's had always been his own and over the years he had decorated it to his liking.

"I am not sure," he answered honestly, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. His main concern had been Yukina, he had run all the way to the temple with that single thought lodging itself deep within him. There had been no ideas of what to do, Sayomi had never even crept across his mind for being the obvious reason his sister was ill. Hiei had never even imagined that Genkai had exaggerated the truth about the ice maiden being sick. But she had. He had come expecting her so ill she could not move from the bed, maybe even dying. But no she was just a little under the weather, tired looking, weaker, but nothing some rest and saving her energy could not fix.

"No one would mind if you stayed," he frowned a little -Hiei snorted in disbelief-, before speaking a little more honestly, "Genkai would not mind," a mirthless chuckle escaped his lips.

"Are you angry with me as well?," not that he really cared, but it would be nice to know where he stood with the fox. Not that anyone ever really knew, but he could attempt to make a guess. Using the window, he stared back at the reflection of the red head, watching his face for any reaction.

"I am a little," Kurama smirked, "but I understand why you asked her to have an abortion," folding his hands in front of him, the fox returned the fire demon's steady gaze. He noticed Hiei looked tense.

"I do not care," he huffed, a small lie falling from his lips. A small part of him did. Wiggling his right hand fingers behind his back, he ached to spar. He felt slightly troubled at his sister's hard looks, and while he never wanted her to realize how close their bond should run, he never wanted her to look at him like that.

That he was truly the evil demon most people believed him to be.

"You do,"

"Hn," he kept his face blank, hoping, but knowing he would fail, that his lie would be believed.

"I do understand Hiei," he stopped, green eyes calculating, "Mukuro must not know,"

"She does not,"

"You should tell her," he felt like this was a repeat of his conversation with Yusuke. Both men refused to tell their partners what exactly they had done.

"No," growling the fire demon glared at the fox's reflection in the window. There was no reason. It was a one time mistake that would never happen again. It should have never happened in the first place, why ruin a good thing over a one time mistake?

"She would appreciate the honesty," the urge to rub his temples was great, the premature headache already settling in at the base of his skull. Hiei was just so stubborn over some things, Kurama wondered if he realized how much Yusuke and him were alike.

"She would end our mating,"

"Hiei, if she is not willing to look over your transgressions then maybe..." flickering his eyes towards the reaction, a deep sigh falling from his lips.

"It does not matter," Hiei began, his thoughts a mess. It was not like he had not entertained the thought of telling Mukuro, but at every thought he realized that it would be over. She was not a forgiving creature, her heart ran as black as his. Cheating would be an act of dishonor and betrayal to her, there would not be a second chance.

The lies he had created about the detective and his mistress had mostly ruined any friendship between his mate to be and Yusuke. She did not wish to talk with the former human or have a thing to do with him. She had been angry when he showed up to inform Hiei of the warnings from Spirit World. When he showed interest in inviting Yusuke formally to their 'ceremony' -a stupid human thing- a sneer had fallen across her face, disapproval deep within her voice.

"I can not change your mind then," the red head sighed, choosing to look up towards the ceiling, his mind filled with topics.

"No," looking out the window, his cherry eyes caught Genkai stalking across the grounds, her face hard. Suddenly as he watched, Kuwabara jogged towards her. The human was shirtless, but held firm. "What are they doing?," he asked suddenly, angling his body so Kurama could watch as well.

"Genkai has been teaching Kuwabara about forming barriers made of his Spiritual energy," shifting his focus to the human, the fox grinned, "Who knew he held such talent for them," there was a tinge of pride there.

"Hn," it made sense the fire demon thought. The human's defenses had always been high, Kuwabara had always been able to take more of a beating than any of them. It made sense than any kind of defensive energy would fit his personal aura so well. The human had always had a bleeding heart. "I thought he gave up fighting," Hiei mumbled, his mind thinking over what the others had told him.

"In a way, but Genkai and I both agree we should still be ready in case," frowning a little, they both watched as the old woman blasted the human with an attack, but he held firm. The energy all but dispelled in two great rifts on either side of his body, the ground baring scorching marks from the force of her attack. Obviously the gain of the exercise was to see how far she could push him until he finally broke.

"Yusuke came to me about Koenma's warning,"

"I figured he would,"

"You do not worry," raising an eyebrow in question, his eyes refocused on the fox in question. If Kurama was not then worried then he should not be, but...

"There's not enough for me to go on..." he paused for a moment thinking over everything he had been told. Koenma said his main informant was missing, that things were brewing,

"You think the toddler is hiding something,"

"It's a known fact that Spirit World is still facing allegations of now illegal dealings with both demons and humans,"

"King Enma," spitting the name, the fire demon nearly growled. He like most demons did not care for the former King of Spirit World. The man had been cruel and spread lies about the truth of demons. He would have rather Enma face death instead of the jail time he was currently serving.

"Yes, he may be locked away, there were calls for his execution from Yomi and others, but jail time for an indefinite amount of time was the sentence," pulling strands of his hair away from his face, the fox felt the need to wrap one long strand around his finger, thinking over the situation of Spirit World.

It was a dangerous one. The distrust harbored by many from King Enma's reign of terror had not gone away. Many believed a system of checks needed to be put in place to keep better watch over Spirit World so another corrupt ruler of souls would never surface. Koenma, many felt, was not a fair and just ruler, he had blindly followed his father's wishes for a very long time. Why give the heir of the horrible previous King the new title of King?

Yusuke had made the transition go smoother with his support of Koenma. After all the demi-god had thrown his lot in with, been disowned for a time, because he had refused to allow his Father's soldiers to kill the former human. And for a time there had been a massive power play in Spirit World once the Father allowed his son to return, both gathering support from the citizens of Spirit World, but once Koenma had some, not all, but enough of Demon kind to back him it was over.

Kurama did not know the details, no one did honestly, of how exactly Koenma had found the charges to put his Father away. It was a secret which the demi-god refused to disclose, stating simply that it had not gone as smoothly as they had hoped and lives had been changed.

But the demi-god was fair. He judged souls off the merits of their life, choosing to look at more than just the big decisions, he dived into their past to see if things had been out of control. He judged demons just as he did humans, no turning a blind eye to either race's bad apples. He had formed a special squad of soldiers to deal with any conflicts between the races that were always watched over to ensure fairness, it was often that Yusuke joined them. The former human liked to say he was keeping watch, when they all knew in reality he just wanted to land a good fight here and then.

"Many do not think the punishment fit the crime," Kurama agreed with them. King Enma should have faced harsher consequences than he was given, but the fox also understood that Koenma could not rightly try his Father when a large group of Spirit World citizens still outwardly supported the former King. His hands were tied so to speak.

"There are others who do not believe he should be punished," Hiei growled, knowing that some of the idiots of Spirit World believed that their older ruler was a fair ruler. They were some of the ones who held a hatred for demon kind.

"Exactly, I do not believe Koenma told Yusuke everything, he is hiding secrets,"

"Like always," grunting, he barked out a mirthless laugh.

"Or Yusuke was not paying enough attention when the demi-god briefed him," smirking the red head, chuckled a little. Yusuke may be strong, but his attention span when not engaged in a fight left much to be desired.

"The detective doesn't have the greatest attention span," rolling his eyes the fire demon sighed. Once again it did not matter to him, but he knew that if his former teammates got dragged into some kind fight, that either willingly or forcefully he would be brought into the source of conflict. It never failed.

"Either way, as I warned Yusuke it is our best interests to watch and listen," his emerald eyes watched Kuwabara's energy shield deflect another energy blast from the old woman, "Koenma only mentioned that trouble may be brewing, a small group is causing trouble, I believe, is what I could concern when I questioned him myself,"

"Nothing else?," would the demi-god ever actually tell them anything useful?

"Nothing," he sighed, twisting his vivid hair around his fingers.

The two men stayed quiet for a few minutes, their eyes both watching the humans outside training. Genkai finally realized that Kuwbara would not waver from her attacks if he had time to set up a barrier.

Yukina and Sayomi appeared outside, the ice maiden serving as a distraction for him. When he turned to wave at them excitedly, the old woman attacked, firing off a small energy blast that knocked him ten yards in the opposite direction.

"She's really working him hard," tilting his right ear towards the two, Kurama listened in, Genkai was calling Kuwabara an idiot and yelling at him to pay better attention.

"Hn," he nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. Hiei could not help his eyes from first watching Yukina, she seemed a little better now, her eyes a little less tired. Her small pale hands covering her mouth as she giggled, some of her escaping hair blowing gentling in the breeze. She wore it differently now than earlier in the day, all of it was pulled back in a long minty braid.

Sayomi stood to the side, her right hand on her hip as she also laughed at the human. He could not see the bump now, her jacket gray large and covering it so well. She had also tied her hair up, a messy bun at the nape of her neck, much like the bun she had worn the night he met her.

"Yukina is very fond of Sayomi," Kurama stated, his emerald eyes watching as the ice maiden turned to ask the pregnant woman a question. The two fell into another fit of giggling causing Kuwabara to turn a shade of red as bright as his hair.

"Hn," he rolled his eyes, a small part of him was pleased that his sister at least had someone else to talk with besides Kuwabara. The other women of the group hardly had time to visit her these days he remembered from the last time he had sat and let her prattle on.

"Your sister was rather lonely before, she helps," he smiled, placing his palms on his knees, "I think you should get to know her, she is very kind,"

Hiei shrugged at the fox, his eyes taking in the scene. Kuwabara wrapped a large arm around both women while Genkai rolled her eyes, before quickly throwing another blast of energy at the trio, quickly a shield arose to protect them. Kuwabara said something to Yukina, said it rather intimately to her, his lips real close -too close- to her left ear, causing her to blush.

The pregnant woman laughed at Yukina's blush, her body shaking with mirth, a part of him did not enjoy that. It disgusted him that the human even had an arm around her shoulders, but then he figured a whore liked the attention of men.

"You could do much worse," Kurama spoke softly, a small smile playing at his lips. He spoke the truth, Sayomi was kind, she had done nothing so far to cause any ill moments with the group.

"She is a whore," he growled, wondering how his sister could be so okay, so fine, with the fact that another woman was so close to one she held so dear. He would never allow another male so close to Mukuro, she was his and his alone.

"Regardless she is carrying your child," lifting an eyebrow in question at the whore comment, he shook his head choosing to move on from it. He had a feeling that no matter what questions he asked, the fire demon would say nothing.

"I have no interest in being a father," he sighed, the conversation feeling worn out.

"Maybe, but fate has chosen to give you a child,"

"She can keep it," grumbling his cherry eyes watching as Genkai separated the trio, forcing Kuwabara to continue training.

"Are you going to allow the child to continue feeding off of Yukina?," sly he asked, even though he had a feeling the answer would be no. Hiei cared too very much, was too protective of his twin to allow something like that to happen to her, even if it really was not harming her.

"No, I will come from time to time to give some my energy to it's core until the child is born,"

"And then you will have nothing to do with it, I presume?," a hint of malice entered his voice as he shook his head.

"Hn," shrugging Hiei caught a glimpse of the angry emerald eyes in the window.

Kurama chose to stay quiet, keeping his disapproving thoughts to himself. There was no point trying to change the fire demon's mind; it was made up. He only hoped that Hiei would change his mind before the baby was born. Having a child was not a curse like Hiei thought, it changed a person, usually for the better.

"I was wondering how often I should come," after a few moments Hiei spoke again. Demon cores were not something he wondered about. As long as his own still functioned within his body it had never occurred to him to know the finer points of cores. And anyway creating another core had never been on his list of things to do, having a child was not something he wanted so he had never sought out the information on how to feed a fetus' core.

"If you were a normal couple," -Hiei snorted- "you would continuously feed the child every day with your energy. It's less draining this way, only a small portion very day is required." Furrowing his brow, Kurama wondered how often was necessary to feed the child. Obviously his friend could not come every day. How long was too much time?

"Would once a month work?," he asked quietly, turning away from the window finally. His mind kept jumping to Sayomi, imagining the bump underneath her coat. The urge to trace it with his tan calloused hands never fully went away and he mentally shook himself to rid his mind of the thought.

"Too long, Yukina would have to supplement the fetus with her own energy," he sighed, holding his hands up to placate the fire demon's glare.

"No," his sister was innocent in all of this mess. It was not fair for her to give her own energy for his mistakes. Hiei was supposed to look after her, not allow her to fall weak and ill as a consequence of his actions.

"I would say it would be better to come once a week," he began, but Hiei's growl stopped him.

"That's too often!," Mukuro would eventually start to believe something was going on if he left that often for Human World.

"Every other week, or twice a month should suffice then," doing the math quickly, he realized that if Hiei gave up a substantial amount of energy it should supply the core for long enough between visits that the ice maiden would not have to donate her own energy.

"Mukuro will find it suspicious," he muttered.

"Then tell her the truth,"

The answering growl was enough of a protest for Kurama to know the answer.

* * *

Sayomi had a hard time keeping her eyes off Hiei while she played Go Fish with the other's. Every few moments her eyes would be drawn to the fire demon, her son's energy always pushing to intermingle with his father. She could almost see the lines forming between the two of them in the air as it was.

Every not and then when she looked, Hiei's eyes would fall on her, unreadable, but open at the same time. Anger was readable on the surface, but everything that lay underneath was a a mystery to her. She did not know him well enough to guess his thoughts and so she did not try, her face blushing when she caught him looking.

When Kurama and Hiei left the room it grew quiet for a moment, their footsteps echoing down the hallway, disappearing before anyone spoke.

"What did you two talk about?,"

"What the hell the Shrimp want?,"

The odd couple spoke at the same time, Kuwabara's loud voice booming over Yukina's soft tones. The human sent her a shy look, looking sheepish, before nodding for her to speak first.

"Thank you Kazuma," she sent a bright smile towards the human, "Kurama slide the door shut to give you two privacy, but what did Hiei wish to speak with you about?," one small hand went to rest on Sayomi's arm.

"He wasn't an ass right?," there was a twitch of an eye from the human in slight anger.

"He told me why he came," Sayomi spoke softly, choosing to lay her cards face down on the table, "Genkai wrote him in Demon World that there were complications with my pregnancy," she huffed a little, "He did not give me any details,"

"Well that explains grandma being so smug at lunch earlier today," chuckling the human had wondered what the old woman knew that they did not, but it made sense that she would write to them.

"Quit your chuckling you big baffon, I ain't your grandma," Genkai's voice broke through the conversation, the old woman sliding the door open rather roughly.

"Genkai, what do you wa-!," he was asking before the old woman stalked rather forcefully over to him and grabbed his ear. "Ouch that hurts!," he whined, her small frame dragging him a foot or so across the floor before he yelped.

"Training, outside now, we're wasting daylight" she growled, before looking over to the two women, "Join us once you've changed, I need your help," they both nodded quickly, "NOW Kuwabara!," she growled at him, giving him another swift tug on the ear when he had not moved from the floor.

Suffice to say Kuwabara got up quickly, reaching for his jacket as he bounded out the door. Genkai followed along, a large smirk on her face.

"I wonder what angered her," Sayomi muttered, rolling her eyes. A tinge of sympathy went through her at the old woman's rather rough treatment of her friend. Some times she felt that Genkai was too rough.

"Genkai is rather rough in her teachings," Yukina shook her head, a small smile lighting up her face, "She just wishes for Kazuma to be strong,"

"That does not mean she needs to be rough with him," her silver eyes strayed to the doorway in which the pair left, her mind wondering what kind of training the pair were doing.

"I do not think she knows how to be any other way," Yukina sighed, tucking a strand of her long minty hair between her ear.

"No, I think she does not," she watched as Yukina went to move, fussing over her hair. "Do you mind if we talk for a moment?," she asked before the ice maiden could reach for her jacket.

"I'm sure Genkai won't mind too much," the ice maiden nodded, sitting back down.

"I'll say we had to braid your hair so the wind won't blow it around as an excuse," giggling a little, Sayomi moved to kneel on her knees, using her fingers to comb through the long thick minty locks. Yukina preferred to have her hair in a braid, but the demon always muttered that when she braided her own hair it never turned out right. It was always lopsided or crooked or too many miscellaneous hairs.

Sayomi thought that Yukina just liked to have her hair played with.

"That's a perfect excuse," the ice maiden laughed a little, her eyes closing in happiness, enjoying the feeling of her scalp messaged as Sayomi began to gather the sections together.

"What else did Hiei speak with you about?," she asked after a moment, remembering their conversation before Genkai barged in the room. There was a pause in her hair moving, before Sayomi very slowly smoothed her hair back into place, returning to braiding.

"We talked about his core," concentrating very hard on the braid, she tried to work in the hair that always fell around Yukina's face, to make a French Braid. Her mind slipped to braiding her own hair many times through out the years...

* * *

" _It suits you," her master's voice carried through the hall, both intimating and commanding all in one go. Another of her master's servants, a guard, stood in the room. It was the first time she was ever brought before her master in such a way. The white kimono was made of cotton, a simple thing, with red brown flowers, an Anisu flower, her mind supplied, wrapped around her hips._

 _Only a few hours before she had awoken, the futon beneath her cold and hard. When she had awoken there was nothing that she remembered before awakening. Her mind was wiped clean, but she remembered how to speak, but her legs trembled when she put weight on them. It was a strange feeling. To remember how to function, but now how she had learned how to function._

 _Her master did not comment on her memory. Did not say anything about how she came to be his servant. He simply instructed her to dress, her naked body becoming rather obvious, but despite that she did not feel the cold._

 _She did not know what prompted her to braid her hair in such a way before she joined her master in his great hall before his other subjects. A nagging voice across her brain told her it to do it and she did, taking moments longer than needed to braid her hair, winding it around her fingers wistfully._

 _Her master seemed pleased by her appearance, a smile peeking out from behind his beard and mustache._

* * *

"What about his core?," Yukina's voice pulled her from her memory. It at the time had been a happy one, still to the day was happy. Those were the days when her master was kind, those days the cruelest thing said to her was that her hair was lopsided.

"I explained the situation and he..." she paused for a moment, nearing the end of the braid. It stretched down Yukina's back, minty rope across her kimono. Admiring her handy work, she reached for the red ribbon that usually kept the ice maiden's long hair tied back. Her tongue poked just a little out of her mouth as she tied the long silky ribbon in the neatest bow she could at the bottom of the braid. "Hiei agreed to contribute to his core." She said at last, Yukina jerking around in her seat to look at her, eyes wide.

"That's wonderful!," smiling so very brightly the ice maiden nodded enthusiastically. It was strange to see her so excited, but then again this was a step in the right direction.

"It is," nodding along with her friend, she pulled her own hair from her face, watching as it pooled over shoulders. Quickly she pulled it back, a quick messy bun at the back of her neck, similar to her hair the night Hiei had visited the Brothel.

"This is good, Sayomi," an ice hand moved to rest on her own, the owner of said hand seemed to realize her reluctance to admit it.

It was not that Sayomi was not grateful for the fire demon's help, but she worried that she could not count on it. Would he stay true to his word? How often would he come to contribute to the baby's core? Would it be often enough? Or would their son suffer and grow weak in the moments between visits?

A smaller part of her turned the puzzle of the strange relationship between Hiei and Yukina. The fire demon was possessive in a strange way. The first day she had met the ice maiden, the fire demon had all but growled at her to keep her son from going after Yukina's energy reserves. And he had been adoment that Yukina would have nothing to do with contributing to the core of their child when he had finally decided to make an appearance.

He protected her.

"I know, I just worry Hiei will not return as often as he should..." she muttered, choosing the moment to climb to her feet. After all making Genkai wait too long was never a good thing, the old master was often cranky and snappish on her good days, making her wait did not bode well.

"He will," Yukina handed her gray jacket over to her, smiling a small secretive smile, "Hiei is honorable," her words echoed the ones she had spoke before in the town at the base of the mountain.

"I know you believe that," she paused for a moment to zip it up, her hands wrapped tightly in the fabric of the sleeves. The jacket was a few sizes too big, bought for when her baby bump was much larger. "But why do you believe Hiei is honorable?," she asked.

"Hiei agreed to look for my brother in Demon World, he has not given up what is probably a hopeless search, simply because he agreed to it," cherry eyes turned sad, a far away look flittering across her face. It was as if she had clocked out from her present state of mind.

Pausing Sayomi, bite her lip for a moment, she had never heard news that the ice maiden had a sibling, never heard the woman talk about her time before she had come to live with Genkai. It was as if that part of her past was closed off, forgotten, much like her own was. They both had a mutual understanding that the subject was off limits, choosing to talk both of the present and the future instead.

"You have a brother?," asking quietly, Sayomi tugged gently on the ice maiden's small hand towards the hallway to follow Genkai and Kuwabara. They would walk as they talked she figured, hoping the very deep sadness that rested like a rock on her friend's face would disappear soon.

"Yes," sighing, Yukina allowed herself to be tugged down the hallway, her thoughts coloring darkly. "We are twins."

"Where is he?,"

"I do not know, I have never met him," her silver eyes moved quickly to Yukina, surprise falling across her face. Yukina's features were hard, but firm, an even darker look dominating her features.

"Why not?,"

"My race of people do not approve of men, he was cast out,"

"Oh," she chose not to ask, the dark look that resided in her friend's eyes spoke volumes of how she felt about it. If she had not seen it herself, Sayomi would never believe that such a deep hatred resided in her friend's soul. "I am sorry."

It was the only thing she could think to say, the words tumbling from her lips quickly, over the course of her many years, comforting another soul had never been very high on her list of things to know about. Having friends had never been part of her life before, but now suddenly she was overcome with the emotion to somehow comfort her friend. Sure she had seen other people comfort others in the few movies she had seen and sometimes in real life while serving under her master, but her experience was limited and actually doing something versus watching someone do it were two completely different matters.

"It was a long time ago," the words were quiet, icy hands pulling the braid over her shoulder to fiddle with it quickly. "I never met him," the words ' _I wish I could have'_ were left unsaid as they walked through the temple, sadness clinging to the woman like a blanket.

"Well Hiei is honorable," Sayomi finally said, she took the minty haired girl's hand, giving it a squeeze, she prayed to the gods for a moment that her words would have a positive effect instead of a negative one, "I'm sure he will find him," she smiled as brightly as she could.

"I hope so," a fake smile took root across her face, her eyes intermingling with pain.

Sayomi tugged a little harder at the fingers tangled within her own. Kuwabara would be able to fix this.

Kuwabara always fixed Yukina.

* * *

"I am leaving," Hiei's voice startled her and her head shot up in shock.

The fire demon leaned casually against the door jam, his bare arms crossed over his chest. Cherry eyes stared her down in a bored way, he seemed to calm as he looked at her. His traveling black cloak was no where to be seen.

Sayomi had spent the day with Yukina and Kuwabara and true to her thoughts the human had mostly fixed the ice miaden's mood, except sometimes when no one looked, the dark look crossed her features again, but quickly disappeared behind a bright and sunny facade, but Sayomi realized it was all an act. But at dinner Yukina had seemed better, the dark look mostly gone as they joked about what to do the following day, before Kurama and Kuwabara left in the evening to return to their jobs and school.

Monday they would return to cleaning many of the seemingly endless temple wings, she had sighed a little, Genkai's stern glance crossing over her briefly. Much as she did not mind house work, it seemed to be a never ending cycle at the temple. There was always some room to clean or some furniture to polish. The weekends when the boys visited were a brief reprise from the normal day to day activities. Idly she had began to wonder if this was what humans experienced when they worked their jobs and careers, the animosity for the day Monday when the weekend came to a close understood, all too quickly their break went.

"You will not stay until tomorrow?," she asked, choosing to sit up. Sayomi had been laying out across her futon, her shirt pulled up over her ever growing bump. Fingertips traced the bump, her mind wishing he would move for her to feel, but he did not. Facts whispered across her mind that since it was her first pregnancy -her only she thought- that it was too soon for her body to feel him moving; he would eventually move enough that she could feel, but for now she would have to be patient. Being patient was hard and she was almost glad Hiei had interrupted her thoughts. The hour grew late and she had not expected company, nor had she noticed her door slide open.

"No," Hiei had watched her for a few moments before he spoke, his wide cherry eyes taking in her form. It was strange how she had not noticed him, but she was so far deep in her thoughts, he briefly turned the idea to read her thoughts over in his mind, but chose to ignore it. There was nothing she could ever think that would interest him anyway.

It was just her body that he craved and even standing there, watching her stroke her smooth skin, skin that bulged, thin small discolored marks beginning to flash across her stomach's skin, he felt his body want her.

It was likewise strange that he wanted her so, but it was purely a physical attraction. There was no interest in wishing to know her. The one and only time they had ever truly spoken, besides where it was concerned, she had been engaging and witty, but he wondered now if it was all an act. To fool him, to get him into bed. Whores would say anything to get their fuck in.

"Did you come to feed him then?," her soft voice pulled him from his thoughts, her silver eyes expecting much from him with her gaze. It seemed strange that she could look at him in such a way, but no fear was there. Many feared him, but she did not. It interested him in the way a bold mouse would entertain a cat; he wondered if she should.

"Yes," what other reason would he come to her? All she signified was a mistake, evidence that he had done wrong. A secret now stretched between Mukuro and him all because of the woman in front of him. Hiei had resigned to keep that one night a secret, but one wrong slip now and the truth would come tumbling down like a rock slide, unstoppable and nearly impossible to avoid.

"Oh," speaking softly, she stared down at her stomach, marveling at it for a moment as it poked over her thighs. "Then I guess come here then, its easiest with skin on skin contact," sighing softly, a small part of her wanted a cup of sake to deal with the situation, but she knew better.

"Don't order me around," grunting at her, he listened anyway, sliding the door behind him shut. The click it made when it shut was loud, definite as it closed them off from the outside world.

"I am only trying to make this easier on you," she grumbled back at him, rolling her eyes. Despite Yukina reminding her many times that the fire demon was honorable, she felt that he was much more stubborn. It was as if he enjoyed denying others of what they wanted, as if his way was the only way that mattered. He was very selfish.

"You have already complicated my life far too much to make this easy," he paused for a moment, "despite being easy yourself," catching her eyes, he noticed the anger rise in her, her aura flashing brilliantly for a second, an outraged gasp falling from her lips at his words.

"You-!," words escaped her for a moment, "What have I told you about being insulting me!?," she accused, reminding him of their first conversation after a moment. Fingers tangled in the fabric of her futon's sheets in anger, her silver eyes flashing at him. Her lips turned into an angry pout. Before when she was in the Brothel he had insulted her then, and they had a moment of understanding that it was wrong to insult the other for their stations in life.

"Hn," he grumbled, remembering as well. A light blush gathered in his cheeks, his mind turning over to where the conversation had led them. They had talked over a whore getting pregnant, it was ironic now, he had done exactly what they had discussed that night.

"I am not easy," she all but growled at him. It had never been her choice to work in the Brothel, and while he may have known that, he still chose to think of her as being an unkept woman and it bothered her. She knew he must think of her as a whore and a small part of her did not ever want the Father of her son to think that, to maybe one day tell their son that his mother worked in a Brothel.

"You are still a whore," he rolled his eyes at her, standing only a few feet from her. The air between them felt charged, an electricity there that surprised him.

"Not anymore," Sayomi's anger was easily found on her face, her arms crossed over her breasts in such a way to almost hide them. Her face was upturned to look at him, a defiant look in her eyes.

"The past defines who we are," he said suddenly, thinking of his sins. They were a part of the reason he would never tell Yukina. She was everything he was not, pure, innocent, full of love. He was nothing but guilt, stained by the blood of all the people he had killed, full of hatred for his mother's people. And while he may have changed, become slightly better of a person, had people he allowed to be in his life, functioned with them on a regular basis, his past had defined who he was. Created him.

Just like being a whore had defined who she was. She was not strong, but weak. A pawn. Her past had created her, created this woman who glared at him for calling her what she was. She denied the truth of what exactly she was, her skills as a whore had been honed, she was taught to be witty when needed, to be a flirt to attract the opposite sex's attention.

"Maybe, but I am working towards being a mother," her words caught him off guard. He had not expected her to be completely honest with him, to admit he was right, but then he realized she had done the same as before. "I would really appreciate it if you did not judge me based off my past, you know only the tip of the iceberg," her fingers traced her stomach, her gaze dropping from his own to stare at the bump that lay there, "I wish to be someone worthy of his love."

"Hn," he shook himself mentally, his eyes resting on her protruding stomach as well.

"I hope one day you become someone worthy of his love too," moving her face to look at him, she smiled brightly, the same smile that had drew him into her. The same bright white teeth, the skin of her face practically glowing from the pregnancy.

"I do not want it's love," he half snarled, shrugging at her. Her words had caught him off guard, he felt frazzled, off center. His mind mulled over her words, a small part of him wondering if it would ever wish to love him. Or would it feel the same way towards him as he felt towards his own father? A hatred that burned so deep he felt it in his bones. Or would it feel the half thought of regretful feelings he felt for his own mother; always pushed away, but still there buried under the hatred for her people.

"Regardless he will love you," Sayomi chose to stand, her hands not quite reaching for him, but held in expectation.

"Why makes you think that idiotic thought?," He huffed, staring at her opens hands in question.

"All children love their parents," the smile played across her face again, before she made a decision. The smile still shown brightly across her face, but determination crossed her features as well, her pale hands reaching for his slightly tan ones.

"What the hell-?,"

"Shhhh," shushing him, Sayomi clasped her hands around his rough larger calloused hands, a small blush forming across her face. It felt nice to touch him like that, his hands fit well with her own. Her own hands soft and small, pale, while his own was a stark contrast to her own: rough and calloused, tan almost. Absentmindedly she stroked the pads of her thumbs over the backs of his hands.

Without giving him a chance to jerk his hands away from her, she gave a little tug, pulling him closer to her all at once, his aura rising to meet her own -an automatic response to his body being moved without his consent- it wrapped around the two of them for a moment, before the child within her sparked to life, his aura intermingling with their own.

The blush crept along her cheeks, her nose inhaling the smell of Hiei, a mixture of fire, burnt wood, and something almost sweet, refreshing, the smell she noticed everyday when she went outside when it was colder.

Hiei was shocked, feeling it recognized him so intimately, the child pulling both of their energy together, twisting it until even the jagan could not tell where his own energy and Sayomi's begun. It wove them like a band, in and out, tight coils of their energy. The child's core shown brightly, his jagan literally seeing it residing inside the woman's womb, the core pulled his energy towards it like a magnet, unrealistically strong, unable to escape.

So he did not, choosing to limit exactly how much the child could take.

Once the child was done, the air around them seemed to pause, Hiei's eyes fluttering open; he had not even realized he had shut them. Unsure how to felt, he stayed completely still, cherry eyes rapidly blinking, taken back by the experience.

Sayomi smiled at him, her silver eyes large and bright, a knowing look across her face. She was content with what had transpired. Her son's core shown brightly within her, finally a mix of both of his parents. Her body felt stronger, even stronger despite Yukina's help. It seemed being fed by Yukina was a total difference than being fed by Hiei.

"That was..." he was still awestruck, the words failed him at the moment. He did not suddenly feel love for the child, but some kind of connection had formed. He understood why he was needed to build the core, it's core was weak before just a small dying campfire in the early morning, but now it burned, a hot blaze during a wildfire.

"Amazing," Her words snapped him from his thoughts, he snatched his hands from the place on her bump, when and how exactly his hands had ended up there he did not know, nor did he care.

"Do not attempt that again," he growled, a small speck of begrudging respect budding for both the woman and it. The woman because she was brave enough to take control of the situation and stand up to him in such a way, and for the child because it broke out through his wards and stole from him before he realized to stop it. "I will _donate_ ," he spat the word angrily, "my energy, but on my terms not your's!"

Without saying anything else he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room angrily.

Guilt blossomed across his face at the tears pricking at the corners of her silver eyes, but he ignored it, pushing it down somewhere beneath the guilt he already felt for bedding her in the first place.

He tried to ignore the warmth in his hands from here his palms had rested against the smooth skin of her ever growing bump, her small hands overlapping his own.

The image stayed with him the whole way to Demon World.

* * *

Okay if you squint hard enough there is a Hiei/Sayomi moment there, I'm sorry that it probably wasn't what most of you exactly wanted, but I found that it fit this chapter better this way! Also there are some more clues of the general conflict brewing this chapter! I promise that there will be a general conflict! I swear! This story is not all mush! Also I'm wondering if any of you will guess the significance of the name meanings this chapter. :)

Until next time!


	13. Arc I: Meetings

Release Date: 4/13/2016

Word Count: 5,729 (I know its a little shorter than previous chapters, but I feel this is needed)

I own nothing

* * *

Mukuro was waiting for him when he returned to his home in Demon World, the hour late. Most of the fortress slept in peaceful slumber, besides the guards that greeted him with grunts and a nod as he slipped past them quickly.

A powerful thunderstorm even for Demon World waged outside, his body soaked through to the bone. If not for his father's fiery side, his body would have been cold, but as he walked his clothes sizzled, steam rising off him in places. The few inhabitants of the fortress moved out of his way, his aggravation evident in the way he carried himself. Anger rolled off him in waves, his eyes glaring holes at anyone who did not scurry from before him quickly enough.

His mind was a storm of thoughts, reflecting over the actions of that woman. In his mind he could not call her a whore for some reason now after her little show of force. She had manipulated him until he was within touching distance, able to bend him to touch her. In her presence he was nothing but a moth drawn to the flame.

During the energy transfer to her, somehow their hands had tangled together, in such an intimate way, over her womb. The skin there was soft, only his pinky finger feeling the beginning of the stretch marks prickling across her skin. Underneath her skin, it had blossomed, not moving, but the core pulsating outwards, the unconventional hum of steady energy, almost beating like a human heart would. Both it's energy and Sayomi's had greeted his own, wrapping him in their warmth like a blanket.

His own energy had covered the two of them as well, the dragon taking complete control as it's energy wrapped around them in coils of throbbing heat, but gently as not to burn anyone.

Hiei had never burned so badly for anyone before.

Her body called to his own in such a way, that in those few moments he could have undressed her and took her there on the futon, the floor, even against the wall. It would not have bothered him. He would have relished in the feel of her skin, their child between them like a rope tying them together.

That could not happen again.

Hiei would not make the same mistake twice.

Pausing in the hallway he had to collect his thoughts before he met Mukuro, he could feel her dark and twisted, but still burning bright, energy awake and waiting.

One thing at a time, he thought, he would not fuck Sayomi again. That had been a one time mistake and it was over with now. The woman did not want him either, it must have been a side effect of their energy twisting together so intimately, almost like how a mating would go, that would trick his body into believing that he wanted her.

She may have been beautiful, her face a beautiful shape, her figure even growing with child was arousing, but she was not for him.

Mukuro understood his very soul. She was the one to make him growl out in pleasure at her touches. She was the one he forced up against walls, broke tables over, when he thrust into her roughly. She was the one he came back for always. She understood his loneliness, his single minded purpose to protect his sister and at one time find the tear gem his mother had given him. She understood who he was.

Sayomi was just a woman he was forced now to deal with, hopefully not forever, but long enough just to get her settled, to get the child between them settled and alive. His honor demanded that he at the very least make sure the child had a fighting chance in all the three worlds. Honor demanded the child at least live past birth.

The similarities between his own Father and him did not shock him. He was more like the man, but the only difference was he would at least make sure it had a chance unlike his own Father who left and allowed him to be flung from a cliff. Allowed his beloved to die alone and one of his children to be nearly murdered, never even going back for his daughter.

Oh how his mother must have been turning over in her grave.

At the thought of his mother, guilt hit him like a rock.

A small part of him knew that the reason she had died was because all of her energy had went to building his core, supplying him with the energy needed to live. An ice maiden could not handle two cores, especially not a core that was so in opposition to their own nature.

At seeing the tears of Sayomi, the guilt always hit him, reminding him that just like his own mother had wanted him, she wanted it so desperately. He had made the woman cry at his rough treatment of her, the way he had snatched his hands from her grasp. Wincing just a little, he sighed, leaning on his left hand against the wall.

Things were complicated, so very much so.

It was not that he cared for the woman or their bastard child, but a small part of him, his conscience maybe, deemed that the way he treated her was not fair. It was not as if she has asked for this, the circumstances of the pregnancy were out of her control, in reality he had paid for sex and she had done what was required of her.

Sayomi was honorable, he decided.

To want the burden of a child that would not know it's father's love, to be willing to bear the weight of motherhood all alone. So far she had been quite amiable when it came to his needs and exactly what he could do for her. She had not contacted him once, anger jumped across his face at Genkai's exaggeration, the woman was doing all she could to make sure the child would not complicate his life any further than it already had. The very least he could do was treat her better, no snatching, try to be a little kinder, at least make the effort

At the very least it would appease Yukina and she would stop looking at him like he was a monster.

* * *

Over the next couple of days their relationship was normal. Mukuro had forgive him for his relationship issues and the two feel into their usual pattern.

Training, sex, avoid cuddling, sex, meetings with the idiots.

This life was an easy one.

"Hiei, there has been a meeting called to discuss matters between Spirit World and Demon World," Mukuro's voice drfited through their shared room. The great lady was reading a book when suddenly she had looked up, her one good eye catching his. Her posture was relaxed, her aura completely calm, brushing against his own every few moments. They melted together, the room filling with their power.

"In person or over the video communication network?," grunting, he brought the blade sharpener down along the blade. In truth he hated the video communication network, he could not tell when someone lied that way. It felt un-personal and he preferred the face to face meetings they held from time to time. It must not be too important to discuss over the network.

"Over the video communication network," she chuckled at seeing the displeasure spark across his face, the low growl echoing through his chest. He nicked the blade a little to sharply, as she put her book down.

"Guess they're all too lazy to leave their fortress," he grumbled, "when is this video conference?,"

"In a few minutes," she smiled innocently at him, "Yusuke felt it was best, something about house hunting," she shook her head a little, "I guess to appease the human woman despite his transgressions."

"Hn," using the excuse to examine the blade, he hide the guilt in his eyes from his mate to be. He should have never lied about Yusuke and that whore, he should have simply kept his mouth shut, made up some kind of other lie. Anything but that, now Yusuke was known throughout the land as a cheater.

If Yusuke ever found out he had started the rumors...

"It will not be that bad," chuckling again, Mukuro stood, setting her book down softly on the bed. She moved to stand in front of him, leaning down to kiss his head, "Be good and you shall be rewarded," she promised.

"Hn, I am no child," almost a pout as she would call it, he set both his sword and guilty thoughts to the side, choosing to stand. There was no point in thinking over things that he could not change.

Yusuke would never find out and much like other juicy gossip of Demon World, it would in time fade away.

* * *

"I usually would agree a house visit would be better, but I'm kind of short on time," Yusuke laughed on his side of the screen, the fingers of his left hand stroking his cheek. A few beer bottles were behind him, it was obvious he tried to push them out of view, a speck of feminine feet poked into view. Hokushin shook his head in his own screen, airing from somewhere in Tourin.

"It is alright, I would have had a tough time making it as well," Koenma spoke softly, his teenage form looking solemn as he spoke. Botan hovered anxiously in the background of his monitor, she had greeted Yusuke once they had both logged in, but was now required to listen and write down the general proceedings of the meetings.

"Agreed, the trip to Demon World at the moment is something I am unable to accomplish as well, I do apologize Yomi," Kurama nodded an apology to them, his hands crossed in front of him. He sat at a desk in a business uniform, he had loosened the tie ever slightly to regard them all will cool emerald eyes.

"Hopefully we can have a formal meeting the next time," Yomi was saying, his son Shura sat in his lap, still looking as if he was ten years old. His cool voice was littered with aggravation as Shura tugged rather harshly on his ear, "Shura it is a privilege to sit in on these video conferences, either behave or you will not be part of them," his son quickly quieted in his father's lap.

"Give the kid some slack old man!," Yusuke grinned from his monitor, giving a thumbs up to Shura.

"Let us start," King Enki finally spoke, forcing back his old laugh as he tried to remain serious. His wife, Kokou, stood to his right, her arms crossed over her chest, the string holding her gourd of sake behind her back.

"Agreed," Koenma agreed, nodding towards a very frazzled looking Botan. She did not seem to happy to be filling the position of scribe.

"As we all know the next tournament will be in a few months, I may or may not be King anymore, but I would like everyone's support in whatever happens to keep this peace we have," King Enma spoke softly, "Regardless of whoever is King I want to ensure demons do not cause mischief in Human World anymore." The stare he gave all of them was lengthy, finally setting on Yomi.

"Father he is looking at you."

"I will not cause problems in Human World," his lips turned up in a sly grin, "I respect Urameshi too much at this point."

"Yomi also knows the barrier would be put in place much faster than he could mobilize his forces," Kurama stared at his long time friend.

"Do you have no faith in me old friend?," Yomi asked slyly, a strange smile across his face. Shura squirmed in his lap just a little, especially when Kurama's emerald eyes glared at his father.

"It does not matter," Hiei spoke up at last, ignoring the look from Mukuro, "We have all come to enjoy this peace, I doubt any of us will disturb it." Shrugging at the amazed looks from Shura and King Enki, "Yomi likes being able to eat freely from Human World's diverse foods,"

"I forgot you were border control and with that Jagan of your's..." Yomi spoke at last, shaking his head a little, "What about your master, will Mukuro go after the Human World?,"

"No, I have no interests in humans, they may do as they please," sighing the woman, crossed her arms. She was likewise sitting like the others, Hiei standing to her left, where she could look at him with her good eye. She had no permitted him to bring his sword sharpener to the meeting, because she wanted him to actually participate.

"Good, then we are all in full agreement that no matter what happens, we will leave the Human World alone," King Enki smiled a little, "and regardless I believe one of us will win." Kokou rolled her eyes at her husband, but smiled a little anyway.

"So do I just write that everyone will leave Human World alone here or should I be writing everything they all say down?," Botan asked after a moment of silence, her face blushed redder than a tomato. Holding the paper in front of her like a shield, her one hand using the pen to point to the paper.

"Botan!," Koenma whirled in his chair at her, snatching the papers from her in anger, "Have you just been scribbling this whole time?," he grabbed the paper from her, a kitty drawn in the corner. Hiei rolled his eyes at the display.

"I am sorry! You should better prepared me for this! I do not usually attend these kind of meetings! This is Ayame's job, not mine!," she yelled at him, snatching her kitty drawing away from him.

Yusuke was openly laughing at the exchange, while Kurama just shook his head, a small smile on his face. Everyone else just watched, a shocked look on their faces, except Hiei who just shook his head at the stupidity.

"I should give you spankings!," he grumbled at her, turning back to the screen. Fingers rubbed at his temples, as he sighed rather loudly.

"Where is Ayame?," Kurama asked suddenly, his emerald eyes twinkling in thought. Hiei at the moment wished he could read the fox's mind. "Isn't she your usual attendant?," it was obvious that he was fishing for information, picking up on something that none of the rest of the group had picked up on.

The Lord of Spirit World froze for a moment, Botan going wide eyes behind him. They both seemed unable to speak, the grim reaper snapping her mouth shut rather loudly to keep from sprouting whatever had popped into her mind.

"Whats going on toddler breathe?," Yusuke asked, suddenly suspicious. The former human turned his attention to Koenma, his brown eyes flashing. Hiei snorted, realizing that things were about to get interesting.

"Ayame has been kidnapped," Koenma finally spoke at last, "in fact quite a few of my grim reapers have been taken, other important members of Spirit World as well are missing."

"Just like your informant," Hiei muttered, crossing his arms.

"Informant?," Mukuro asked, her eyebrow raising in question. Everyone looked at her quickly, questioning.

"Hiei did you forget to tell Lord Mukuro the news about the informant that Yusuke conveyed to you?," Kurama asked.

"Hn," a light blush crossed his cheeks, his eyes looking to the left, away from Mukuro's angry gaze. It was not that he had forgotten, but between their fight and then having to make a mad rush to Demon World, he had not had time to tell her about the information Yusuke had given them. When he had returned his thoughts had been taken over with the guilt of his transgressions and the woman who he had sired a child with.

Sayomi fluttered across his mind at the thought, but he pushed her back. The image of how big the child inside of her had gotten pushed away as well.

"And man I thought I was stupid!," Laughing, Yusuke grinned rather big, beating his hand on the floor.

"To bring you up to speed, Koenma sent Yusuke to deliver the news that Koenma felt as if some kind of trouble was brewing in Spirit World; his main piece of evidence was that his informant was missing. This is our first time learning that other members of Spirit World have gone missing as well," Yomi pulled the meeting back towards the topic of discussion, his son fiddling in his lap.

Hiei watched a little, a strange feeling blossoming across his chest at the scene. Would _it_ wish to sit in his lap like that? What would it be like to hold the child like that?

"It was just my informant at first, a few weeks passed, and now almost every day someone is not showing up to work, when I send someone for them, their place of residence is empty, barren. There has been evidence of a struggle in some cases," behind him Botan looked worried, her pink eyes held unfallen tears. The demi-god looked worried as well, but his voice held steady.

"How many are gone?," King Enki asked suddenly, "Can you still collect the souls of the death?."

"Including my informant and Ayame, there have been forty one disappearances as of this morning,"

"You mean..." Mukuro asked, realizing that someone else had to gone missing.

"Ayame was discovered missing this morning, hence why Botan had to fill in on such short notice," Koenma spoke softly, a pained expression crossing his face. Many knew of his relationship with Ayame the grim reaper.

"Shit! Koenma why didn't you tell us this shit was goin' down!," Yusuke asked, brown eyes angry.

"I had to wait, I do not know who to trust these days. I had to wait until I could get my hands on a sealed room where no one could listen in," he paused, gesturing to the room around him, before beginning again, "at current capacity I can still collect the souls of the dead, many of my grim reapers are pulling extra shifts to keep us moving along, but I can not lose much more." Sighing he looked tired.

"This is my first time resting in three days," Botan mumbled, suddenly looking sleepy.

"What's the big deal if you can't collect souls right away?," Yusuke asked suddenly, confusion evident on his face. Behind him the feminine feet moved a little.

"You're an idiot," Hiei spoke, shaking his head. Even though most demons did not trust Spirit World, they all knew they were needed.

If souls were allowed to linger too long they became benevolent and then things became tricky. Souls possessed raw power, they could kill if they wanted and leave no trace. If they lingered too often, they could ban together with other souls and create a monster even stronger than a demon. Souls had to be sorted by Spirit World to go to their final resting place and then reincarnated or sent to their final resting place. It was an endless cycle that had be kept going. If souls were allowed to stay on the living planes, then they could end all life as they knew it.

Even demons were taken to Spirit World, their souls judged as such.

"It would be disastrous if we could not collect the souls, they would stay on the living planes and eventually wipe out all of life, both demon and human. The balance of the living and the dead must always be maintained," Koenma told Yusuke.

"Do you know who is behind this?," Yomi asked.

"It may be Enma," Mukuro said suddenly, "He didn't like that you took control from him, did he?,"

"It is not him, my father is still locked up in the depths of Spirit World jail," there was a mirthless smile, "don't worry I personally checked," he sighed.

"Are there any other suspects?," The fox asked, his chin rested on his folded hands.

"Not that I know of," sighing the demi-god continued, "This could be all avoided if my informant was around."

"Why is that?," Enki asked, his own large body taking up more of the video on his side as he peered at all of them.

"Let's just say she had privy to information such as this,"

"How long ago did she disappear?," Hiei asked, knowing the question was on the tip of the fox's tongue. A feeling that his life was about to get rather complicated again swept through him quickly.

"Seven weeks ago, I suddenly stopped receiving signals of her aura, I sent one of my most loyal servants, and she was gone,"

"Do you have any more information?," Mukuro asked, she drummed the fingers of her metal arm against the flesh of her bicep. The fire demon beside her watched, feeling her aggravation swarm the room, a hint of worry underneath.

"No, but I do believe the border attacks has something to do with all of this," the demi-god gestured a little.

"They are trying to distract us, or turn us on ourselves," Kurama spoke softly.

"Well what the fuck do we do about it?," Yusuke asked as he cracked his knuckles. Hiei almost chuckled at the look on Shura's face, one of confusion, at the seriousness on the former human's face. Most people did not expect the level on maturity from Yusuke until it was displayed in front of them.

"My Lord, I do believe we should send guards to protect the remaining members of Spirit World," Hokushin spoke up for the first time during the meeting, his calm voice cutting through every one.

"Demons to defend Spirit World," Yomi laughed a little.

"That would be spreading us all very thin and what of our bodies still in the living plane, someone could easily kill them," Mukuro reasoned.

"It's very risky, yes, but we can not allow Spirit World to fall, all three worlds are too interconnected," Kurama gimaced, leaning back into his chair "we will have to set up guards around the bodies of those guarding the Grim Reapers."

"Hiei could help with his eye thingy," Yusuke said at last, "he could watch over a whole city of grim reapers at least while they are in Human World,"

"Detective..." grumbling the fire demon wished that Yusuke would not have brought that up. In fact his abilities were probably the most suited for the job to over watch grim reapers as they traveled through Human World. "Are they being attacked in Spirit or Human World?," he asked suddenly.

"Both, that's the tricky part. I do not know who is taking them in Spirit World, it has to be someone in Spirit World, but in Human World it can be anyone."

"So who do we decide who has to defend the people of Spirit World?," Yomi asked, sighing.

"We could draw straws," Shura suggested, ducking his head at the attention he was being given.

"I like your idea kid," Yusuke winked at him, causing the child to smile a little, "how about all three nations give soldiers to protect Spirit World?," he suggested.

"Someone will have to defend Koenma," Kurama said suddenly, "He will most likely be their ultimate target soon, if he is not already,"

"Mukuro, Yomi, and Yusuke will alternate guarding Koenma until we catch whoever is behind all of this," King Enki said, causing all three Kings to look at him, two of them in disbelief, "you are the strongest and anyway by giving your support in such a way, your subjects will feel more willing to participate."

"Fine, but Kurama is required to stay near my body while I am guarding the brat," Yomi grumbled.

"Understood," Mukuro nodded, but Hiei could see the anger coming off her in waves. His mate to be did not wish to be separated from her body, a body she had taught to be so strong. It scared her a little to leave it.

"All three of you select your soldiers to guard the grim reapers and have their names to me by tomorrow," King Enki commanded, "I will be in touch with photos and names for you Koenma then, are we done here?,"

"I believe so," Yomi grumbled, obviously displeased with the way the meeting had turned out. Everyone else nodded; no one looked happy. Most of them in all honestly looked aggravated, displeased, unhappy with having to protect Spirit World.

"Then you are all dismissed."

"Why did you not tell me?," Mukuro demanded once the video communication dropped, all the screens going blank, anger dropped from her every word. Whirling around in her chair she glared at him, one leg crossed over the other, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I forgot," he sighed a little, using his best bored voice. It was the truth, he had been so overwhelmed with everything else to remember when he came to her. By the time he had come back to Mukuro after seeing that Yukina was alright, his conversations with both Yusuke and then Kurama forgotten.

It was as if Sayomi filled his every thought.

Hiei could not get her out of his mind, she clouded everything now. Everything threatened to come unraveled if someone found out about her. It was as if he stood on a thin rope, that only got pulled more taunt, threatened to snap, the larger the bump grew.

The lies when he had returned to Mukuro only grew.

* * *

 _Hiei sighed, his thoughts a little more calm as he entered the room Mukuro and him shared. His mate to be laid flat out on the bed, her arms spread wide across it. She did not stir or make a sound, not even when he slide the door softly shut. But she was not asleep, her energy engulfed him like a flame, moving as it was instructed, her breath was not calm enough for sleep._

" _Is she alright?," she asked suddenly, her one good eye looking up at him at the side of the bed. She had only spoken when he reached the bed, his cherry eyes staring down at her. Limbs did not move to make room for him and he did not wish to sit._

" _Yes, she has some kind of energy depletion sickness," that part was the truth, his hands were clasped behind his back._

" _That's good," she did not move her face to look at him, just staring up at the ceiling. Sadness was planted across her face._

" _I told Genkai I would return in two weeks to check up on her," he lied a little, he was not checking up on his sister, but the woman who every day came closer to having his child._

" _I understand," pausing for a moment, the woman sighed, "what caused the energy depletion?,"_

" _The oaf has been training constantly at the temple and she has been healing him," he paused a little, "There is also a new person staying at the temple, a woman, Yukina has been exerting her energy to keep the temple as warm as possible," that was the truth, a small part of a much larger picture that he hoped Mukuro would never know about._

 _They stayed like that for a while, her staring up at the ceiling and him watching her._

 _Hiei studied Mukuro, he could see the metal disappear under her tank top, her nipples poking through the material of the shirt. Her face was scared, ruined as it was, but still held a tinge of beauty there, strength as well. Mukuro wore her face well, proudly, despite its ugliness. He was proud of her for it, proud that he had picked a mate that did not care for her looks, but cared for strength, a similar view like his._

 _He could no help but compare her to that woman._

 _That woman was fragile, her body beautiful. Forcing his mind to remember the details of her creamy pale skin, he remembered that were no marks or blemishes marring her perfect skin. Her face was delicate, sweet, but open. Silver eyes were the main object of her face, able to draw anyone, including him, in rather easily, her long eye lashes only made them more desirable. It was obvious she valued her goal to be a mother, her son being the one thing she wanted to protect. Her life had never been about growing strong and it disgusted him._

 _Disgusted him that while he found her honorable enough to want to keep a child, to have the strength to try and move forward with her life, she had never desired strength._

 _Mukuro had chosen to free herself from her sex slave past, to earn her way to freedom._

 _That woman had chosen to stay a sex slave, to be weak, only gaining her freedom by fate's hands._

 _His mate to be and the mother of his child were two very different women._

" _Will you join me in bed?," Mukuro finally asked, her voice softer than he had heard it in ages._

" _Hn," but he obeyed anyway, his weight shifting the bed ever so little. She did not move to make room for him, so he sat, feet dangling over the edge of the bed, his back to her._

 _It was not long before her body curled around him, her stomach touching his back, one arm resting against his leg._

" _I am happy you have returned," she said, her fake eye looking up at him. It bothered him sometimes not to see her real eye, this fake one hide her emotions so easily. "I am glad she will be okay," she offered, but a part of him felt like it was a lie._

 _There was no hiding her jealousy for his sister, even if he did understand their bond, she felt sometimes that he was more affectionate towards Yukina than her._

" _She will make a full recovery," his mind wondered over why they were fighting._

 _Was it really fair of him never to touch her?_

 _But then again why did touching her have to define their relationship?_

" _I am surprised you are not moving away from me," she tightened her body around him as a means to explain. Her voice was muffled into the bed a little, a part of him felt it sounded weak, but then he remembered that all beings could be weak sometimes. A part of him cringed at him own memory of weakness, all the times the others had protected his body while he passed into dreams._

" _This does not bother me," it was a lie. Touching was not something he was comfortable with, he had never known the loving touch of another. Always a hard hit, or an angry hand, nothing sweet, except for the few times Yukina had healed him. Her glowing hands icy on his overheated skin. But that was different, she was his sister. They had shared a womb together._

" _I wish I believed you," sighing, she moved her face to look at his own, "I will not hurt you Hiei."_

" _I know," he gazed at her out of the corner of his cherry eyes, one hand reaching behind him to rest on her body, causing a small smile to grace her lips._

" _I am willing to work with you Hiei," she said, "give you time to get used to being... affectionate, but I will not wait forever," the words were said simply, but with a promise. She was not willing to deal with being untouched, unloved for the rest of their lives together._

" _I will try to understand," he said finally, the words thick in his mouth. It was hard for him to understand. A small part of him knew her request for attention was not unreasonable, but for one such as him, it seemed impossible that someone would want to touch him like that. Even more impossible that he was expected to be affectionate as well._

" _Good, I'm glad we have come to an understanding," she smiled at him, before rolling on her back, her smile turning sly._

 _Hiei did not waste no time to ravaging her._

 _It was hard not to image perfect creamy skin instead of scar marred skin._

* * *

"It seemed insignificant then," sounding bored, "so insignificant that it did not need your attention." It was a lie, something that became quite easy now. They dropped from his lips like a waterfall; hard.

"I looked like a fool!," she snarled at him, rising from her chair to grab the collar of his shirt and yank him towards her. His feet slightly left the ground, his own anger rising, as he placed his right hand, the dragon hand, on her arm, griping her tightly.

"Drop me," Hiei instructed her, his cherry eyes boring into her one good one. The threat was clear in his voice, he would attack her if she did not let him go.

"Next time pay more attention to important things than that sister of your's," she shoved him rather harshly away from her, turning on her heel and stalking away.

"As I said it was insignificant at the time," he spat at her.

* * *

In Human World, Sayomi sat up, her silver eyes flashing as she looked out across the courtyard, her hands tightening at her side.

Yukina stopped talking, dazed as she was by the other woman's sudden stiff actions. Idly she watched her friend, shiver, her hands shaking after tightening, watched her silver eyes literally glow brightly, her face hardening all at one, solid, almost as if cast in stone for a moment.

* * *

 _Move move move move move move._

 _The words vibrated inside her skull, her feet running. The tunnel, or what looked like a tunnel, she could not tell where she was, was dark, the smell of decay nearly made her gag. Silver eyes could not see anything, could not tell where she was walking, she thought she felt bones crush under feet._

 _But the smell of fire kept her moving forward, the warm, overheated really, hand clasped tight around her the top of her arm at times dragging her forward. She had willing agreed to this the rough voice told her at one point, and mentally she agreed._

 _Move move move move move move._

 _She could not stop moving._

 _She had to save the little boy._

* * *

 _Sooooo_ I am soooo sorry this is late! But work was really busy this week, today is my first day off in over a week. This chapter was harder to write than others. I find Sayomi centered chapters easier to write then these Hiei ones. I guess because sometimes he does not do what I want. :( Also anyone want to throw any guesses who is causing these problems? Whats going on? Whose evil?! And what about her freaky vision at the end! Huh?

 _-j.d.y._


	14. Arc I: Snipets

Word Count: 7708

Release Date: May 3rd, 2016

I own nothing, but Sayomi and the baby.

* * *

Hiei was strange when he came to her to feed her child.

The fire demon simply showed up that morning at breakfast. It had been a shock to see him walk through the door and sit rather unceremoniously, but Yukina had simply made another place for him at the table, even if she did send him a half hearted glare. Genkai had raised an eyebrow, but they all agreed to keep their questions to their selves.

"Hiei it is nice to see you," Yukina smiled at him, placing his plate in front of him. The ice maiden seemed to wish to play nice that day.

"Hn," studying his sister's aura, he noticed it was healthy, not bothered unlike before. No one had fed on her after the last time, the bags under her eyes had disappeared completely, her body seemed strong again. Her long minty hair was tied back in a high pony tail that reminded him of the grim reaper, Botan, only reminding him he had to make this visit short.

Genkai seemed healthy as always, forever old, but still Genkai.

The woman stared at him from across the table, her big eyes watching him. There was something different about her from before, but he ignored it. His mind mulled over the looks she gave him, they were curious, almost shy, but still curious; he guessed she was not angry at him for his words. Her long hair was unbound, falling over her shoulders in waves, her baby belly did not seem any bigger than before.

The child within her reached out easily, starving for his energy. The bags under the woman's eyes did not escape him and guilt pricked at him just a little. Pushing it away, he ate at his food carefully. He needed to build up his strength, he would be on grim reaper duty as Yusuke called it for a week.

They were going in week on and week off schedules. Hiei was almost thankful he started the week he had to fed the child, taking a detour to Genkai's was easy and then on his way back he could head home to Demon World. When it was his week to return to grim reaper duty he could once again come by the temple to offer up his energy. No suspicions would be raised. It was nearly perfect.

Somehow his lies only seemed to benefit from this situation.

"How long are you going to be staying?," Genkai sipped on her tea, watching the fire demon. The old woman wondered why he seemed so anxiously.

"Long enough," he paused, "I have business to attend to," he finished his plate, but before he could get up, Sayomi had pushed her nearly full plate across to him.

"I'll get a new one, you look like you need it," she smiled at him, before moving to collect his plate. He watched her for a moment, before focusing back on his rice and eggs. It was strange how willing she was to feed him, but he chose to ignore it.

* * *

Sayomi layered up in her warm coat, feeling that the early December air was too cold, but it was probably one of the last few times she would be able to be out before the snow came the following week and she wished to see the grass and think of summer one more time.

Once again it was the weekend, but Kuwabara had chosen to stay at home. He called on Thursday and delivered the news, Yukina's face had told her, before the words ever did; but the human had some kind of final he had to study for. There was no other choice. Kurama was unable to join them as well, something to do with work for his step-father and some kind of mission; not many details were given and Genkai had grumbled about being old and no one telling her anything.

It did not bother her to spend the weekend with just Yukina and Genkai, but it felt strange not to have the two young men join them for the weekend and she found that she missed the two of them very much.

Her thoughts traced over to the day she had seen the vision involving the tunnel and her mind went over who exactly could be the voice for a while before she decided it must have been Hiei's. It was odd, her visions were usually looking in at a scene, not her actually doing things in the vision. Both this vision was strange, her thoughts roamed over it carefully, remembering the smell of the fire, and the crunch of the bones, it was obvious that she was not pregnant, she could not run that way while pregnant. The warm hand had obviously been from Hiei, but it still bothered her that she could never see him to confirm her suspicions.

It scared her that she did not know who the boy was, and kept telling herself that it was not her child. That it could not be him. He would be safe. But doubts plagued her and once again she found herself searching the future for visions that would just not come. They showed her nothing of him, but she found that Yukina popped up in her future often, as did Yusuke, the young King of Tourin.

It worried her beyond belief.

"Woman," Hiei's voice cut through her, startling her more than the winter's wind. The fire demon stood off to the side, near one of the Buddhist statues. He wore his usual black clock, his hands deep in his pockets. No other words came from his mouth as he stared at her, but she did notice the icy winter wind turn warm as it blew through her, the goosebumps retreating across her skin.

"Thank you," she smiled a little, pushing hair from her face. Her hood had fallen down when Hiei had startled her, and she pulled it back over her head, trying to keep some of the wind, even though it was warmer now, from her face. The fur of her hood tickled her cheeks a little. She watched him for a moment, appreciating his male body, before shaking herself of the lustful thoughts. A large part of her felt guilty for looking on another's man in such a way, even if they had already crossed so many lines.

"And you're welcome for breakfast," if any other person would have said that, the fire demon would have believed they were being sarcastic, but in her face he found no malice, no ill will. Sayomi knew that heating up the wind around her was her thank you for giving him the rest of her breakfast.

"Hn," stepping close to her, he could smell her just a bit. The smoky smell he had noticed before only seemed stronger, drowning out her own natural smell. It seemed the longer she was pregnant, the more her own smell would diminish to be replaced by their child's. Eyeing her, he noticed that at least she had the sense to dress for the weather in a thick winter coat and some kind of brown boots.

She was honorable and sensible.

Without saying anything else she reached her hands out, pulling the silver gloves from her hands and stuffing them in her pockets, palms towards the sky in question. A smile lite up her face, a shiver going through her. She did not make any other moves, allowing him to make the decision on his own terms.

Sayomi's master was prideful, she knew what it meant to allow the master to be the one to make the decision even if she already knew the decision they would make before they did. She would allow Hiei to choose to touch her, choose to give her the energy, not force her way through his defenses. It made things worse the last time, she had cried after he had growled at her, something she found rather easy to do now due to her overflow of hormones.

Hiei stared at her hands for a moment, before sighing and placing his on in her's. When she made no move to move his hands towards her stomach, he sighed in relief, staring into her eyes. He appreciated that she was not going to push him to do anything, to allow him to contribute on his own terms.

"I won't bite I promise," she grinned at him a little, her fingers staying still as a statue beneath his tan ones.

"Obviously," he snorted, and without much thought Hiei warmed his hands further to warm her own, noticing they were cold, before gathering energy in his hands and channeling it into her body through their intertwined hands.

The only response this time between their bodies was Sayomi's gasp. The air around them grew heated for a few moments, causing Sayomi to sweat just a little from the heat under her thick coat. Much like last time the child between them pulled both of their energies around itself like a coil.

For a few moments the two of them stood there, their hands being the only physical touch between them. Hiei noticed in those few minutes that Sayomi's eyes closed, her face falling into a serene mask, a small but still there smile gracing her lips.

Sayomi for her part enjoyed the feeling, her body feeling stronger than it had in days. Once a week had passed she had begun to feel weak, not on fire like before, but weaker. She tired going to bed earlier, but it did not help. The child within her demanded energy and she had to force herself to stick to her agreement with Hiei not to take Yukina's energy more than once.

When Hiei felt the child was finished, he stopped pulling his energy, merely played with it in a way, almost as if he was familiarizing himself with it, he cut the invisible cord between them. Gently, as not to make her cry again, he pulled his hands away from the woman, stuffing them back in his pockets.

"Thank you," she smiled a him, taking her gloves gently from her pockets and putting them on, first the left one and then the right.

"It is nothing," he watched her, noticing her breath was noticeable in the air.

"Be careful with whatever business you have, it's supposed to snow this week," she smiled at him, rubbing her palms together.

"Hn," he heated the air around her again, careful not over do it. It made sense, the air tasted damp to him.

"Goodbye Hiei," quickly, Sayomi turned on her heel towards the temple, feeling rather light as she went. There was a happiness in her steps, a strange feeling of hope residing in her chest, that maybe just maybe this odd arrangement could work out.

Hiei watched her go, her steps barely made any noise as she walked. When she reached the top of the temple stairs, she looked back just for a moment, her silver eyes catching his, he caught the smile of her lips. She raised a hand in goodbye.

He nodded goodbye to her, before leaving a speck of black in his wake.

It in fact did snow three days later.

* * *

Genkai complained about the ache in her bones all day, shocking the two women with her nastiness. It seemed that even the strong willed Genkai had her moments of weakness. Yukina soothed the pain with her healing powers, before throwing another log on a fire in one of the main rooms.

"I am so glad Kazuma chopped all that wood up in the Summer," Yukina smiled. The three had agreed to spend the day and if the storm continued the night together in one of the rooms with a fireplace. Genkai did not wish to use all of the heating oil up to heat the temple with the three of them could use the logs.

"Agreed," the old woman grumbled, sipping on her tea, while her free hand rubbed her knee absentmindedly.

"Does it snow like this all the time where you come from Yukina?," Sayomi asked, pulling her blanket around her tighter.

"It is much colder on the floating island where I originate from," red eyes glazed over for a moment, "even our flowers are frozen, but they grow regardless."

"Demon World is a mysterious place," Genkai spoke, standing up straight to crack her bones.

"Yes, yes it is," quickly the ice maiden made more tea, before pulling a deck of cards from one of her long sleeves. "Would anyone like to play cards while we wait for the storm to die down?," her smiles all innocent.

"Only if Genkai plays," Sayomi had quickly discovered that since there was not much to do in the temple during the winter that the ice maiden often played solitaire to entertain herself and whenever she could she would try to rope someone into playing with her. Genkai had the only TV in her room and often watched sports or the news on it; it was old much like the psychic herself and no one else was allowed to use it.

"I guess I will join you," the old woman surprised the two of them, both looking at her in shock. Genkai never offered to join them, sometimes she watched and sipped her tea, making smart remarks, but she never played with them.

"Wonderful!," it did not take long before Yukina was dealing the three of them cards, the group deciding to play rummy.

"I do not know how to play," the seer grumbled a little, her son sensing her aggravation. His aura rose a little, curious, "do not worry little one, nothing interesting is happening," placing her hand on her stomach to comfort him.

"It's an American game," the old physic instructed as she pushed her faded pink hair over her shoulder, "We each get seven cards, the goal is to earn points by creating a set of the same, like three fours, or a sequence of cards in the same suit like a seven, eight, and nine of clubs. Each turn you pick up a card at the beginning of your turn and at the end of you turn you have to discard one card. You are able to add a card to a set or sequence. The goal is to earn the most points per round and go out with no cards before anyone else. Each card you place down is worth a certain amount of points and whatever cards you still possess in your hand will be taken point wise from your total. Easy enough?." the old lady grinned at her.

It was the most she had ever heard Genkai say at one time.

"Do not worry, one of us will go first to show you," smiling softly, Yukina giggled at Sayomi's bewildered expression, "We'll be fair and go easy on you," she was teasing her.

"Speak for yourself, I play for keeps," huffing the old woman laughed before shuffling the cards.

"Sometimes Genkai gets a little competitive," leaning over, one hand covering her lips, Yukina whispered to the seer.

"I can hear you," she announced, rather smugly, "and I just believe in winning."

"I think we should team up," Sayomi smiled, shaking her head at the old woman's antics. Leaning over towards her friend, she bumper her shoulder rather playfully.

"There's no teams in rummy, every woman for themselves," she once again announced, seeming rather smug about something.

"So how good is Genkai at rummy?," another shoulder bump.

Yukina seemed to think on it for a moment, tilting her head to the side, "She usually wins unless Kurama is playing with us, but even then he usually can only give her a run for her money, she seems to always come out with the most points."

"We gonna play or you two gonna talk about how good I am all day?," the old lady seemed to be rather happy today, despite her pain. Cracking her knuckles the old woman shuffled the cards again, before handing them to the pregnant woman, "Deal so that we have two turns to show you how it's done ad then you're on your own."

And true to her word Genkai did play for keeps.

* * *

Hiei found watching over Grim Reapers boring.

It was the same thing hour after hour, day after day. At the beginning of each day, he would be told where they would mostly be going, and he would stand a top a building where no humans would notice him. Then he would open the Jagan and spread his energy far and wide, picking up the signals from the grim reapers, each one carried a special device that amplified their energy so he could pick it up easier from greater distances.

It was incredibly boring.

It gave him too much time to brood over his situation.

Which in turn made him even more irritable about the whole situation; he much rather be in Demon World with his mate to be.

They had not spoken since he had came to Human World, her anger still in the air. She was not very pleased with him for keeping secrets, but as the few days had gone by, she had come around, asking him questions about the ceremony that was to be held in their mating's honor.

It still reminded him of a human wedding, which did not please him, but he figured if it made Mukuro happy then he could live with it. The guilt ate at his insides these days like stomach cancer, and the desire to please her to cure some of the guilt away was strong. He found in the few days he spent in Demon World before he left for this silly mission were spent kissing ass.

He tried to be nicer with his opinion about the whole situation, even helping her pick guests for the celebration. It was not something he enjoyed and the whole thing felt fake to him, but he choose to keep his opinions to himself for Mukuro's sake. Their relationship in the last few months had taken a delicate turn.

Some parts of it were to blame on himself, he knew he had withdrawn from her in some ways, his guilt forming a wall between them. He no longer allowed her to read his mind as freely as he once had, though that had always bothered him just a bit, but had allowed it for her. Their argument about affection only made the wall between them grow in height and bulk. Some days Hiei wondered if they could return to the way they were before or would they always be this way. Always have this secret between them, the secret that he had caused.

But he knew their relationship as it was, was better than the alternative.

If Mukuro ever knew about Sayomi and the child then she would leave, never to return. All of his hard work to form a place for himself in Demon World would be lost, she would cast him out from everything, and while he did not value status as much as strength, it was nice to have a home, someplace safe to sleep when traveling grew weary.

In a way if his mate to be left, he would lose everything.

Hiei would just be another demon among demons.

* * *

Kuwabara showed up the day after the snow ended rather incredibly.

Sayomi had heard talk of a human's ability to create holes in dimensions, to be able to as humans would call it to 'teleport', but she had thought they were only rumors made up by members of Spirit World to scare Demons with the power of Humans. She had never actually believed that anyone had the ability to cut through dimensions or to slice through barriers, not even King Enma had been able to accomplish that.

It was all a shock to them all in truth when suddenly the air around them literally shifted, the fire even flickering for a moment, so brief that they would have never noticed if they were not already sitting in silence.

Sayomi had been sitting closest to the fire, Genkai sipping on her tea in front of her. Yukina sat closest to the door, the sheen of sweat glistening on her face. The room was becoming too warm for her, but since the storm had hit, the other two women had not taken the cold well. The power had gone out and the light of the fire at night was all they could see by.

"What was that?," Sayomi asked, her head popping up. Silver eyes took in the room, feeling as if soemthing had shifted, but nothing had. The room remained the same.

"I do not," Genkai spoke harshly, a worried look crossing her features quickly, before fading away. With a widening of her eyes her energy flushed out from her, pushing over the other women -Sayomi felt the energy engulf her like a great wave- and out over the grounds quickly, before snapping back quickly.

"Who is it Genkai?," Yukina asked, her body stiff. Her cherry eyes flickered around the room, her back straight at the door.

"You should know, he's your lover," barking out a laugh, Genkai visibily relaxed, her arms dropping back into her lap. She leaned more towards the fire, a small smirk taking over her face.

"Kuwabara is here?," The pregnant woman asked quickly, fanning out her own energy qucikly, doing so may have weakened her, but she wanted to feel it for her own self. There was no way the human could have gotten there in the storm. Trains were delayed and the radio had advised people to stay off the roads, no one would bring him all this way, and there was no way he walked all the way to the temple. It was impossible.

Sure enough, the human's golden energy flashed brightly from somewhere outside, the barely there fife force of the fish let her know he was only a few feet from her favorite koi pond.

"I'll go and greet him," Yukina smiled, a small blush across her face. Quickly before anyone could respond, she was already sliding the door open, escaping out into the cold hallway in a mad dash. The door slide shut behind her before anyone could protest.

"But how-" Sayomi wondered aloud, her thoughts a mess. Her mind mulled over the possibilities, unable to find any that made sense.

"Kuwabara is special." Genkai said after a moment, her pink-brown eyes staring into the fire, "His main attack is using his energy to form a sword made of Spirit Energy that he can bend to his will," she paused for a moment, sipping from her ever present tea cup, "but he had another ability, hes able to use his spirit world and sometimes," she laughed a little, "if he knows exactly where hes going, he's able to use the sword to form a doorway of sorts to that place."

"So it's like teleportion?," she asked after a moment, her voice curious, full of wonder. In all her centuries of being alive she had never met a Human with so much potential as Kuwabara, in all honesty she was surprised that Spirit World had not recruited him.

"In a way yes, he can also use his 'dimensional sword'," the old woman huffed, forming quotation marks, "to cut through barriers. It's quite impressive, when he practices and does not do things on a whim," she grumbled.

"What do you mean?," the seer guessed their was a story behind the old woman's words, a small curious smile forming across her face. Kuwabara had strange luck, she had realized, things never went his way in the way he wanted.

"Let's just say once, Kuwabara ended up halfway through a wall," the old lady smirked even bigger, her eyes dancing in mirth. Sayomi giggled a little at the image, the child within her rising his energy at her body movements. It was as if he wished to know what was going on as well.

"What are you guys laughing about?," the subject of their conversation asked as he slide the door open, tall body covered in snow. He was obviously dressed for the weather, a thick blue hat covered his ears, while the rest of his tall broad body was covered by layers of thick coats and pants. While he stood there he removed to pairs of gloves from his fingers before moving to remove his winter boots. When he dropped the boots to the floor, they landed with a heavy thunk.

"Genkai was telling me about your abilities," she paused, smiling largely at him, "How did it feel to be in a wall?," his face expression, one of disbelief and embarrassment, only made her mirth multiple, the giggles falling from her lips easily.

"That was a one time thing! I've gotten much better since then!," he exclaimed, shooting the old woman a dirty look, one hand rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. Behind him Yukina was laughing as well, her body shaking with mirth. Her body was flushed by the cold, but Sayomi found it suit her, almost as if the weather invigorated the ice maiden.

Genkai just snorted.

* * *

It was nearing the end of his first week of duty watching over the grim reapers and Hiei could not be happier about it.

The week had been boring, pointless. The snow had been an annoying addition to his list of the things that made this assignment hell. It was not as if the cold bothered him, but more so that he did not enjoy the snow.

It reminded him too much of where he was born, which in turn only caused his mood to plummet.

Only a few more hours remained until he could switch off the job to the next guard, he believed it to be Yusuke, but he was not sure. Nothing of entertainment had occurred while he was on guard duty, unless you counted a soul that had been a little rude to the grim reaper charged with taking it to Spirit World, otherwise it had been quiet and attack free.

The fire demon almost wished someone would have attacked one of the grim reapers under his charge. At least he could have had some kind of excitement, but it did not happen, and he was bored. His days had passed slow, his mind on overdrive.

Always thinking of Mukuro, her body around his own.

Always thinking of the woman ad the unborn child that resided within her.

It had not been a good week for him.

"Yo! Hiei, man, how's the week been?," he was right after all, he thought, watching Yusuke approach him, one hand raised in hello. Yusuke only wore a pair of jeans, sneakers, and a red and green jacket, one hand shoved deep in his pocket. The hair jell that he was so fond of was missing, his hair blowing softly in the breeze.

"Detective," nodding at the former human, he wondered if Yusuke would be cold in his outfit, but chose to mind his business. If Yusuke wanted to freeze to death out here that was his business, not his own.

"Howa doin'?," grinning from ear to ear the former human clapped him on the back, before once again shoving his hands in his pocket.

"Boring, this is child's play," Hiei grumbled, rolling his eyes in disgust that he, Hiei, second in command to Mukuro, was babysitting the grim reapers of Spirit World. It was beneath him.

"Yeah I can imagine," the former human rubbed the back of his head, staring out at the buildings around them. Hiei had mostly stayed atop one rooftop, creating a little shelter. He much preferred trees, but Spirit World had conveyed that the building was the center of the area he was to patrol. Yusuke would be staying here as well.

They stood in silence for a while, Yusuke wandering around the rooftop for a while, eyeing the tent and cot with distaste. They were the only two who would be patrolling this area so they would be the only ones using the cot and tent. The former human grumbled that Spirit World was too cheap to get them a proper room.

"I'm supposed to be moving in with Kieko soon," the words tumbled out of Yusuke's mouth quickly and without warning. The former human had his back to the fire demon, his body standing proud, Hiei sensed that the human was proud of this. Proud that after all this time, he would finally be moving in with the woman he had been protecting for most of his life.

"Hn," grunting Hiei moved to stand beside the Tourin, "Mukuro and I are to be mated soon."

"Yeah, I got an invitation," snickering just a little, the former human clapped the fire demon on the back, "I'm glad to know you still want me there, buddy," he grinned all the while.

"You are an influential member of Demon World politics, of course you would be invited," he grumbled after a moment, half glaring at his friend from the corner of his cherry eyes.

"That may be true, but Kieko's name was on the invitation too," laughing Yusuke looked out at the sky, his hands shoved deep in his jeans pockets, "Who gave you her last name? Kurama?."

"...the fox," he admitted after a while. Truth be told, the fire demon had convinced Mukuro to allow Kurama to be in charge of sending out the invitations. The fox would be sure to invite everyone and would know exactly where to send everything better than anyone else.

After all these years, Kurama still knew more secrets than anyone.

"Well thanks for inviting us," smiling softly, the demon lord seemed content in that moment. Hiei watched him for a few moments, noticing that Yusuke looked more at peace than he had in years, despite the new developments unfolding in his life.

"Hn," nodding the fire demon turned back to the sunset. The snow that had fallen was beginning to melt now, puddles would litter the streets soon. It had been a quieter week because of the snow fall, Yusuke would have his hands fuller now, more people would be out and about than before.

"I'll have to invite you to the house warming party that Kieko is going to throw," he snickered again, looking much like a child, "She hasn't mentioned it yet, but she'll want to have one."

"I'm sure Kurama will insist I come," grumbling the fire demons shook his head. He knew that without a doubt for some reason or another that he would be there. Whether Kurama insisted on it or not. Somehow, someway, he would end up going, even if it was under the excuse to see his sister. Yukina would be there with Kuwabara and the others.

"Probably," laughing even harder than before, "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Kurama was your wife and he had you by the balls," he quickly scampered away from the fire demon, feeling the heat soar around him.

"Sometimes you are an imbecile," glaring at the detective, he shook his head a little.

"Yeah, yeah," he held up his hands in a don't shoot me gesture, a devilish grin lighting up his face. "But I think your time is up, you're a free man for a week."

"Don't die this time," Hiei grumbled, flashing away quickly in a flash of black. He cast one look over his shoulder at his first friend.

* * *

The three of them were having a wonderful time in the snow.

Hiei had not meant to stop at the temple on his way back to Demon World, but some kind of feeling had urged him to, almost as if a string connected him to that place. He could not escape the sensation that drew him there, he'd spend a week thinking of the temple and the secrets it held. Carefully he kept his presence masked, but if the look Kuwabara had sent the trees in his direction, then at least the human knew he was here, but oddly enough he chose to say nothing. Just go on about his business.

They were playing some human game involving throwing the snow at each other after forming balls with it. As he watched Yukina used her abilities to create a shield out of the snow. Sayomi called her a cheater, before retreating some distance away as Yukina pushed the shield away from her body and towards her two opponents.

Kuwabara fell to the ground covered in snow. Quickly without stopping, he jumped up to return to throwing snow at the ice maiden. The pregnant woman took the chance of his open back to throw two balls of snow at him, hitting him in the back of the head.

Yukina's giggles filled the courtyard, loud and clear, easily heard as far away as Hiei was.

A small part of the fire demon felt jealous, jealous that that woman and the oaf could make his sister so very please. But another part of his, enjoyed the scene, enjoyed the fact that his sister no longer was miserable. He had heard tales of her time in the floating ice country, she had been miserable and alone, but here she was happy. The temple was a good place for her loving and gentle heart. Committing her long minty free hair unbound, the large smile on her flushed cheeks, and the laugh in his mind was easy; it would bring him comfort that he made the right decision to keep his identity to her a secret.

The woman laughed just as loudly as his sister, he noticed. Her laughter was different, a little more composed, but still happy. Still rang bright through the trees. Her own flushed skin caught his eye, desire pulling in the pit of his stomach. He told himself that was natural, he'd seen what lay under her layers of clothes, she was indeed beautiful. The bump of their child was more noticeable under her coat then last week and it shocked him. How fast was this child growing? How long exactly did he have until it would be brought into the world?

Demon pregnancies were difficult to predict. Some species of Demons were pregnant for years, other Demons were only pregnant for a few months, some matched Human pregnancies. It was all a mix of both parents, how quickly their species of Demons grew in the womb. Hiei did not know anything of his own parental history and knew nothing of the woman who carried his child.

He quickly shook his head to push the thoughts from his head. There was no reason to worry over things he could not control. The child would come when it was ready, not a moment sooner, not a moment later. There was nothing he could do to influence the pregnancy in any way. In the end the whole thing would work itself out.

Hiei chose to continue to watch the scene that unfolded before him.

As he watched, Genkai appeared on the steps of the temple to shout at the group for making such a commotion, carefully where she could not be directly seen by the old woman as she was half hidden behind the human, he watched as Sayomi created a snow ball, choosing to suddenly lob it at Genkai.

Of course, the old woman dodged it, her angry gaze falling on the pregnant woman. The angry shouts fell from her lips carefully, one pointed finger at Sayomi. Apparently she was offended that the pregnant woman believed her so incompetent that she would not be able to dodge a snow ball aimed in her direction. And then she called them all fools.

Chuckling to himself, he left shortly after, staying only long enough to watch Genaki join the trio in playing the Human game.

Genkai kicked all their asses in the snow ball throwing.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting," Genkai barked at her for the fourth time. The old woman sat in her corner as before, her back leaned against the wall. A small table was to the old woman's right, a steaming kettle and a tea cup her only companions beside her pipe. The old woman did not touch it, but every few moments when Sayomi began to fidget she would turn it over in her fingers before putting it back down on the table to bark at the pregnant woman.

"It will be fine," Yukina smiled, patting her arm in a motherly way for a moment. The ice maiden sat to her right, choosing to offer silent comfort every time she got worried. The ice maiden had begun knitting a scarf for Kuwabara since Christmas was only a few weeks away and now sat quietly knitting it while they waited.

The doctor from before was late.

No one was surprised, the snow from the week before had been quite heavy and people that lived off the main highways and roads were still quite stuck where they were. But the doctor had not called to cancel their appointment and Genaki seemed quite confident that her old friend would show.

Thankfully the power had returned the day before, so the sonogram machine was able to be powered on. The screen glowing a soft blue at them, static every now at then flashing across the screen. Sayomi was tempted every now and then to use the wand and try and examine her own ever growing bump, but decided she could wait.

She was no doctor and would not know what to look for if there were any symptoms of trouble. The words from the doctor's last visit still flashed across her mind and she only hoped that her child would still be strong with no noticeable birth defects, that all the energy Yukina and now Hiei had donated to her son's core would not be in vain.

All the problems her son could have worried her and while in all of her visions, he had always been healthy, no noticeable problems, she knew how quickly the future could change. One little thing could send a path that seemed set in stone veering off course, hurtling down another course faster than the speed of light. Little decisions could throw off the whole future faster than anything.

Sayomi knew she would love her son no matter what kind of defects he had, if he had any, but she worried that he would not be alive at all, that somehow he would die while in the womb, or be stillborn. As long as her son was alive she could handle anything, but the fear that he would not survive the pregnancy held her tight in fear's grip. In all her centuries she had never been so frightened by anything.

"She is here," Genkai murmured at last, rising to her feet, before the door even slide open. Kuwabara stood at the door, a big grin across his face, he slide the door open even further to reveal the doctor by his side.

"Hello everyone, sorry for the delay," the tall woman seemed to shake herself quickly, "but the roads are still a mess. You would think they would know how to clear snow by now in this day and age, but I guess that's just an old woman's dream." She smiled brightly at them, holding her briefcase at her side. Her nearly white hair seemed damp from the weather outside.

"Hello, Mitsumi," Genkai greeted her friend with a nod, smiling a little at her.

"Nice to see you as always, my old friend," quickly Kuwabara slide the door shut as the doctor talked, sending an encouraging smile to his friends, "And how is our mother to be doing?," she smiled as she talked, moving to the sink against the wall near Genkai to sterilize her hands.

"Nervous," the ice maiden answered for her friend, before Sayomi could even get the words out.

"Sickeningly so," Genkai added, rolling her eyes at the dirty look the pregnant woman sent her.

"It's expected to be nervous, this is your first pregnancy," the doctor known as Mitsumi paused for a moment, pulling a notebook from her briefcase, "Have you been taking the prenatal vitamins I prescribed?."

"Every day as you instructed," sighing carefully, Sayomi forced herself to remain calm. Her fears would be relaxed.

"Have them made you sick? Any side effects? Is the morning sickness gone away? Any heavy bleeding?," she waited a moment, readying her pen to take notes.

"No, I don't think I have had any side effects. My morning sickness has gotten better in the last few weeks. Certain foods still make me sick, I can not stand the smell of cooking beef, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary. I have not had any heavy bleeding, but I have not felt him move yet," moving her hands over her bump, she watched carefully at the doctor took notes of everything she said.

"Well those are all good signs. Some women experience morning sickness their whole pregnancy, but it's a good sign that it is subsiding. It is your first pregnancy, it is normal for you not to have noticed movement yet. We are going to check the baby today using the sonogram to hopefully tell the sex and notice movement. We will also look for a heart beat," once she was finished her notes, the doctor looked towards Genkai, "Do you have a scale around here?."

"I figured you would ask for one," smirking the old woman pointed under the sink where Mitsumi had washed her hands. "Yukina grab it for them please?," she instructed.

"Of course," laying her half knitted scarf down, the ice maiden quickly retrieved the scale from under the sink and brought it to the doctor.

"I want to know how much you weight. You look healthy, but each week I want you weight yourself and tell me at each visit. I will weight you each time I come, but still it's always nice to keep tract in case you end up having complications," she paused for a moment, gesturing for Sayomi to stand on scale.

The pregnant woman glared at the scale, remembering her time at the brothel. In those days the scale had been her enemy. Luckily before she had become pregnant she had only ever been forced on the scale one time. The weight the mistress had told her to fall to had been one hundred and twenty pounds, but she had been very skinny then. Before when she had been under her master she had always kept her weight at one hundred and twenty five pounds. When she had been weighed for the mistress she had gained eight pounds, bringing her weight to one hundred and twenty eight pounds.

When she stood on the scale a small feeling of being judged went through her, at the brothel keeping their weight down had always been the mistress' goal. Often she would always tell them that they needed to stay thin to impress the men. Some of the girls were nearly starved to keep the weight off.

She sent a small thanks to fate for getting her out of the Brothel in that moment.

"One hundred and thirty four pounds, that's a good weight, how much did you weight before?," the doctor asked, marking the weight on her paper.

"Around a hundred and twenty, but I always preferred to be one hundred and twenty five," she sighed, stepping off the scale quickly. Had she gained too much? Too little? Her bump seemed healthy enough to her and she hoped that she was eating enough.

"I think you are gaining weight as you should then. For a healthy baby you should be eating three hundred more calories a day than you did before," smiling at her, the doctor patted the table, "time to see the little one,"

"Maybe you should just name him 'little one'," Yukina giggled, they all called the growing child within their friend, little one. Since the child did not have a name it seemed to fit rather well. Genkai snorted behind her cup of tea in her corner.

"Alright, please lift up your shirt," Sayomi did as she instructed, watching the doctor remove a bottle of the jell from her briefcase, "it's gonna be cold," she warned.

"I remember from last time," she laughed a little, having to will her body to stay in place as the jell touched her stomach. Nervous butterflies erupted within her .

"Relax," using the wand of the sonogram machine to smooth out the jell on her stomach, the doctor turned turned towards the machine, pushing a button before it flared to life. Without a word, she moved the wand around, when the baby finally came into view. "There's the head, the body looks healthy, no noticeable deformities," Sayomi sighed in relief.

"What about the sex?," Yukina asked, staring into the screen, one of her hands weaving into Sayomi's hand. The ice maiden gave her friend's hand a tight squeeze I excitement.

"Yukina I think you are more excited than Sayomi," Genkai mocked her, but her own wrinkled eyes were staring holes in the screen, looking for the signs of gender as well.

"I told you he is a boy," Sayomi muttered, shaking her head at the two women, a small smile lighting up her lips. Her silver eyes were trained on the screen as well, the feeling of happiness overcoming her quickly. To see her son this way was beautiful to her, remarkable, it brought a feeling to her that she could not describe.

Her only wish was that Hiei could see the image on the screen as well.

Next time she would be sure to show him the photos.

"There it is! Definitely not a shower," the doctor grabbed all of their attention quickly, before pointing with her hand to a spot between the child's legs.

"He may be a little bashful, but he is definitely a little boy."

* * *

I am so sorry that this is late, but I had some real life issues going on... I got a new boss and I've bee adjusting and honestly this is the first day off I've had off in over two weeks. And I had some other problems going on. I am very sorry everyone. If it makes you feel better I am up way past my bed time to finish this chapter. Also this chapter is largely very unedited, so please point out any problems for me. Also I apologize, but I am not a doctor so I am trying my best to make her pregnancy as believable as possible. Please review! It makes me happy to hear all of your kind words!

-j.d.y.


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